So, now that the honeymoon period is over... (Skyrim thread)

[Jitters Caffeine]

How are people's reaction to Skyrim these days. There's been a few big releases since Skyrim came out, so I'd like to know how OTHER people view it now.

To start it off, I'd like to say I didn't much care for the game. It felt too sterile and like I had no control over anything in this huge world who's very existence APPARENTLY relied solely on me. The characterization was nonexistant and the world was pretty generic (not to say it looked BAD. I have a 55in Plasma TV and the game LOOKED great). I also felt like the game was IMPOSSIBLE to roleplay in, the skill system kept me in a state of mind that I was ALWAYS playing a game. Need higher Blacksmithing? Better craft Iron Daggers for 2 hours. Need higher Barter? Better sell all those Iron Daggers I made ONE AT A TIME.

Don't get me wrong, I love open world games like this. New Vegas is one of my favorite games ever. But I just felt like going from New Vegas to Skyrim left me needing more if I wanted to roleplay in a game. In New Vegas, if I need higher Science or Lockpick, I level up, dump a bunch of points into it, then come back later. The characters are deep and diverse, even among their own small communities. In Skyrim, you can gauge the entire population of a huge city like Solitude by simply talking to the first person you talk to. I can't even DRESS how I want in Skyrim. I'm always looking for the next best armor or weapon. In Fallout, if I want to be a cowboy, I pick up a revolver, put on a duster and I look like a goddamn cowboy.

I will never say the game was "bad". But I will say the game had me snoring.

 

[Lucem712]

I still continue my love affair with Skyrim. I did prefer the leveling system in Fallout 3/NV but generally I'm not too incredibly focused on stats, even in Skyrim. I dress how I like, either in armour or whatever clothing I prefer.

It's still a place I want to be, just like Fallout 3. Bethesda even if it falls short on storytelling and interaction, their worlds are beautiful. (IMO)

 

[OldDirtyCrusty]

It wasn`t my game either. I miss more narrative ( i know it`s an rpg but still) storytelling. Guess i`m not much of a roleplayer. By the way grinding is always a funkiller regardless of the genre.
I recently finished DE:hr and started to play ME2. Those games were/are much more fun, even if hardcore roleplayers don`t consider them as rpg.

Since i can only play it on my ps3 i must admit i`m a bit jealous of people with a gaming pc. Some of the mods seem pretty neat. I miss modding options on console games (the upcomming MP3 reminds me of the good ol`days).

 

[ChupathingyX]

None of the characters or factions seemed interesting and I just couldn't bring myself to give a shit about anyone or anything.

The opening part of the game alone was incredibly boring and the combat was stale to the point where every time I encountered an enemy I just sighed and mashed the attack button. Not to mention how often you get attacked by wolves and saber cats and every time the loud, obnoxious music starts playing made Skyrim the first game where I turned off the music.

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

Skyrim had a lot of flaws but I still rank it as a very good game. The game world is much shallower than I would like and as true with every Bethesda game, I don't care about a single character in the world. I don't think I've ever cared about any of their characters, their writing/voice acting/delivery is always too terrible.
I've improved the game a few times with mods and I still play it, and probably will play it for awhile but it definitely failed to deliver on a lot of my hopes but that is just the nature of things nowadays. Video games are often far too shallow for me partly due to how much they cost to make now.

 

[Gethsemani_v1legacy]

I can't even DRESS how I want in Skyrim. I'm always looking for the next best armor or weapon. In Fallout, if I want to be a cowboy, I pick up a revolver, put on a duster and I look like a goddamn cowboy.

And why is Skyrim any different? Want to look like a city guard, grab one of their armors. Want to run around in the Emperor's own robes? Just do it (once you find them). Sure, you will be penalized somewhat for doing it, but you are equally penalized by New Vegas if you don't use armor. Likewise with weapons, nothing is stopping you from going through the game with your first iron dagger, just like you could theoretically go through New Vegas with only your Varmint Rifle and lots of guts. Arguably, the latter is harder then iron daggering your way through Skyrim since the NV armor system means any weapon with a caliber below .44 is useless once you face super mutants, power armored enemies or high level NCR/Legion troops. It is also harder to use no armor/low DR armor because of said armor system.

I don't mean to sound rude or arrogant, but this seems to be a problem that's mostly rooted in your different approach to the two games and not in Skyrim itself. I like New Vegas a lot and to me it shares a spot with Skyrim as "best open world RPG of the 21st century (so far)". Because really, I thought Skyrim was great and I still think so. They managed to make a game that was both easily accesible and had quite some depth, thus combining the best of Oblivion (ease of access) and Morrowind (complexity in mechanics and richness of lore).

 

[Jitters Caffeine]

I can't even DRESS how I want in Skyrim. I'm always looking for the next best armor or weapon. In Fallout, if I want to be a cowboy, I pick up a revolver, put on a duster and I look like a goddamn cowboy.

And why is Skyrim any different? Want to look like a city guard, grab one of their armors. Want to run around in the Emperor's own robes? Just do it (once you find them). Sure, you will be penalized somewhat for doing it, but you are equally penalized by New Vegas if you don't use armor. Likewise with weapons, nothing is stopping you from going through the game with your first iron dagger, just like you could theoretically go through New Vegas with only your Varmint Rifle and lots of guts. Arguably, the latter is harder then iron daggering your way through Skyrim since the NV armor system means any weapon with a caliber below .44 is useless once you face super mutants, power armored enemies or high level NCR/Legion troops. It is also harder to use no armor/low DR armor because of said armor system.

I don't mean to sound rude or arrogant, but this seems to be a problem that's mostly rooted in your different approach to the two games and not in Skyrim itself. I like New Vegas a lot and to me it shares a spot with Skyrim as "best open world RPG of the 21st century (so far)". Because really, I thought Skyrim was great and I still think so. They managed to make a game that was both easily accesible and had quite some depth, thus combining the best of Oblivion (ease of access) and Morrowind (complexity in mechanics and richness of lore).

You forget armor in New Vegas gives skill bonuses. Bonuses that USUALLY give benefits to a certain play style. Want higher Strength so you can use that Minigun and don't necessarily need Agility? Power Armor is the way to go. Want higher Agility and Small Guns so your Revolvers and Repeaters pack a little more punch? Grab a duster and be a Wasteland Cowboy. In Skyrim, I had zero attachment to any Armor, Weapon type, or aesthetic because of how unimmersive the game was. Sure you COULD just grab any armor you wanted with the highest DR, but if it was hard to find, you'd be fucked if it broke. So why not go with an armor that goes with the character you have that gives bonuses to the Skills you use the most AND looks good? I got rid of every piece of armor and every weapon I had in Skyrim if something better came along. But in New Vegas, I wanted to be a cowboy. So I stuck with the best Revolver I could find or which ever handled the best and completely passed up a high tech Plasma Rifle because that wasn't my character. Even if it DID do more damage.

And since you touched on the DR system and needing high caliber guns, did you forget about there being DIFFERENT types of ammo? You could even make your own. Armor Piercing for enemies with high DR, Hollow Point for enemies that don't, and regular ammo when I'm not feeling particularly fancy.

And I don't mean to sound rude, but making assumptions about people MAKES you sound arrogant.

 

[Jitters Caffeine]

None of the characters or factions seemed interesting and I just couldn't bring myself to give a shit about anyone or anything.

The opening part of the game alone was incredibly boring and the combat was stale to the point where every time I encountered an enemy I just sighed and mashed the attack button. Not to mention how often you get attacked by wolves and saber cats and every time the loud, obnoxious music starts playing made Skyrim the first game where I turned off the music.

This was one of my BIGGEST issues with the game. There wasn't a single character I gave a shit about. They all just felt like cardboard cutouts waiting for the protagonist to show up so they could say their line of dialogue, give their fetch quest, or shout their ambient sounds into the air. In New Vegas, I cared if someone died. Because I had become attached to them. Especially my companions. If Veronica died, I would reload the game because I CARED about whether or not I saw the end of her personal story. Even at the cost of hours of gameplay. In Skyrim, if Lydia died? Fuck if I care. I'll just find another random NPC to carry the shit I plan on selling at the next town.

 

[Gethsemani_v1legacy]

I can't even DRESS how I want in Skyrim. I'm always looking for the next best armor or weapon. In Fallout, if I want to be a cowboy, I pick up a revolver, put on a duster and I look like a goddamn cowboy.

And why is Skyrim any different? Want to look like a city guard, grab one of their armors. Want to run around in the Emperor's own robes? Just do it (once you find them). Sure, you will be penalized somewhat for doing it, but you are equally penalized by New Vegas if you don't use armor. Likewise with weapons, nothing is stopping you from going through the game with your first iron dagger, just like you could theoretically go through New Vegas with only your Varmint Rifle and lots of guts. Arguably, the latter is harder then iron daggering your way through Skyrim since the NV armor system means any weapon with a caliber below .44 is useless once you face super mutants, power armored enemies or high level NCR/Legion troops. It is also harder to use no armor/low DR armor because of said armor system.

I don't mean to sound rude or arrogant, but this seems to be a problem that's mostly rooted in your different approach to the two games and not in Skyrim itself. I like New Vegas a lot and to me it shares a spot with Skyrim as "best open world RPG of the 21st century (so far)". Because really, I thought Skyrim was great and I still think so. They managed to make a game that was both easily accesible and had quite some depth, thus combining the best of Oblivion (ease of access) and Morrowind (complexity in mechanics and richness of lore).

You forget armor in New Vegas gives skill bonuses. Bonuses that USUALLY give benefits to a certain play style. Want higher Strength so you can use that Minigun and don't necessarily need Agility? Power Armor is the way to go. Want higher Agility and Small Guns so your Revolvers and Repeaters pack a little more punch? Grab a duster and be a Wasteland Cowboy. In Skyrim, I had zero attachment to any Armor, Weapon type, or aesthetic because of how unimmersive the game was. Sure you COULD just grab any armor you wanted with the highest DR, but if it was hard to find, you'd be fucked if it broke. So why not go with an armor that goes with the character you have that gives bonuses to the Skills you use the most AND looks good? I got rid of every piece of armor and every weapon I had in Skyrim if something better came along. But in New Vegas, I wanted to be a cowboy. So I stuck with the best Revolver I could find or which ever handled the best and completely passed up a high tech Plasma Rifle because that wasn't my character. Even if it DID do more damage.

And since you touched on the DR system and needing high caliber guns, did you forget about there being DIFFERENT types of ammo? You could even make your own. Armor Piercing for enemies with high DR, Hollow Point for enemies that don't, and regular ammo when I'm not feeling particularly fancy.

And I don't mean to sound rude, but making assumptions about people MAKES you sound arrogant.

Perhaps so, but your argument is still kind of invalid because the stat boosts in NV were mostly negligable and most often not worth the trade off in DR if combat related. If they weren't combat related (like +1 CHA, +5 Speech from Sheriff's Duster or +10 Medicine from Wasteland Doctor Fatigues) then there's no reason why you just doesn't swap out when you need your stat boost. The ammo argument kind of makes sense, but only applies for high calibre guns still due to the fact that 9mm, 5,56mm, .357 and the other "early game" calibres still doesn't get high enough AP to allow you to go toe to toe with Deathclaws and Super Mutants.

Look, I am not saying you are wrong, because that is obviously highly subjective. I am just saying that your entire argument at its' core is basically "I didn't like Skyrim because it was unimmersive and because of that I doesn't like its' equipment". I see where you are coming from, and I personally found the apparel in NV to be far more intriguing than Skyrims, but the truth is that purely game mechanically speaking there's very little difference between NV and Skyrim when it comes to equipment. Both push you towards high end gear but Skyrim is far less in your face about forcing upgrades then NV is due to a more forgiving armor and damage system.

 

[Jitters Caffeine]

Perhaps so, but your argument is still kind of invalid because the stat boosts in NV were mostly negligable and most often not worth the trade off in DR if combat related. If they weren't combat related (like +1 CHA, +5 Speech from Sheriff's Duster or +10 Medicine from Wasteland Doctor Fatigues) then there's no reason why you just doesn't swap out when you need your stat boost. The ammo argument kind of makes sense, but only applies for high calibre guns still due to the fact that 9mm, 5,56mm, .357 and the other "early game" calibres still doesn't get high enough AP to allow you to go toe to toe with Deathclaws and Super Mutants.

Look, I am not saying you are wrong, because that is obviously highly subjective. I am just saying that your entire argument at its' core is basically "I didn't like Skyrim because it was unimmersive and because of that I doesn't like its' equipment". I see where you are coming from, and I personally found the apparel in NV to be far more intriguing than Skyrims, but the truth is that purely game mechanically speaking there's very little difference between NV and Skyrim when it comes to equipment. Both push you towards high end gear but Skyrim is far less in your face about forcing upgrades then NV is due to a more forgiving armor and damage system.

For skill boosts like +5 in Guns, or +10 Speech, you're right. They're mostly negligible unless you were making a skill check in dialogue or needed to hack a computer or open a safe. But when it comes to things like +2 to Strength, guns have a required Strength and Skill requirement to use them effectively. If I need 8 Strength and 100 Guns to use that shiny new Minigun you found on that Super Mutant, then having Power Armor that pushes you over that threshhold will encourage you to use that over something that gives you a bonus to Sneak. But those checks are something else I really like about the Fallout series. Completely skipping what could be a very difficult encounter with several armed thugs by complimenting his prized Revolver makes you REALLY glad you put those points in Guns instead of Energy Weapons. You feel like you've accomplished something.

But you are correct, it IS a very subjective argument. I personally felt the game to be incredibly unimmersive, the characters to be nonengaging, and the world to be a very "standard fantasy" affair. The way the "big sandbox RPG romp through a giant video game world" was handled better in the Fallout series.

 

[Vanitas likes Bubbles]

I absolutely adored skyrim. Although I couldn't stop making new characters and didn't finish it. So I just gave it to one of my friends....... and now I want it back. There will be blood.

 

[Panzervaughn]

Still only halfway through it, I started on it late, get distracted occasionally, but still intend to see it through to the end, and probably peek into every cave i can find before i put it to rest. STEAM has me clockd at 115 hours, i expect that to double.

 

[Baron von Blitztank]

What!? A Skyrim thread? YOUR KIND IS NOT WELCOME HERE ANYMORE!

OT: I'm still having fun with Skyrim. I made a few characters so it can suit all my preferred playstyles so I can somewhat play it no matter what kind of gaming mood I'm in. Admittedly, I'm starting to take more breaks from my sessions to play other things like Deus Ex, Marvel VS Capcom 3 and Team Fortress 2 but that's par for the course if I play any game for too long.

 

[Jitters Caffeine]

I still continue my love affair with Skyrim. I did prefer the leveling system in Fallout 3/NV but generally I'm not too incredibly focused on stats, even in Skyrim. I dress how I like, either in armour or whatever clothing I prefer.

It's still a place I want to be, just like Fallout 3. Bethesda even if it falls short on storytelling and interaction, their worlds are beautiful. (IMO)

I'd say the skill system in Skyrim was the biggest wall that kept me from truly enjoying the game to it's fullest. It was a door that blocked my every effort to roleplay to any extent. I always FELT like I was playing a game. I was just so unimmerssed in the experience when in my mind all I could think about was "I should really grind up my Smithing some more so I can upgrade my armor before I take on that next fortress of Bandits"

played 4-5 hours
gave up

Dull combat, drab colourless world, dull storyline. Nothing here for me.

That's why I compare it to the Fallout series, New Vegas in particular. The combat was fun because there was always the threat of enemies fighting in MANY different styles and distances. You always have to be prepared to deal with someone with Handguns, Rifles, Melee weapons, and Explosives. In Skyrim it's either a guy with a sword running at you or a guy with a Bow/Magic backpeddling away from you while you run at him. The world may have been brown, but that was kind of the point. It's the end of the world baby, now let's rebuild. In fallout 3, you had bombed out buildings and huge dilapidated monuments to explore. In Skyrim, you've got a European castle, a cave, a Village, then another goddamn cave. In Fallout, the world is so bleak, find any kind of settlement felt like a light at the end of a tunnel after running across the wastes. In Skyrim, finding another settlement just means another shop to sell all the shit you found and a few more fetch quests. The story in New Vegas isn't the best, but Fallout 3 had a GREAT story. You leave the only home you've ever known to find your dad who left under mysterious circumstances, only to find out a lot of the things he's told you is a lie. Then he dies in front of you, and you spend the rest of the game trying to see his and your Mother's dream come true. Life for a dying wasteland. In skyrim, you're a prisoner who was captured for reasons that are never explained and are forced into a conflict you have no stake in all because of a prophecy you're never told. Kind of pales in comparison.

 

[Rack]

I'm still playing it and that doesn't happen often. It's a shame the world is so shallow and particularly there are no characters in it and there are all manner of tweaks and changes I'd like to make when the mods come. But I keep coming back because of how broad it is, at any one time there are dozens of leads and plot threads for me to investigate, even if they are individually quite shallow the whole feels very interesting.

 

[isometry]

I think it's a great game, I played 125 hours. One aspect that maybe isn't praised enough is the sound production, the music and sound effects by themselves go a long way towards immersion, for me. I mostly avoid fast travel, I use a horse, and constantly stop to smell the roses on my way doing quests.

I agree that the skill system can be distracting, I preferred the system in Fallout 3 / NV as well. In Skyrim I just went "full roleplayer" and didn't worry about skills, wore leather armor throughout the game, etc.

 

[Aprilgold]

Still think it is one if not the best example for hype can make money and will buy your game the Game of the Year award. Reasons below.

Spoiler

Boring Combat - Worse then Minecraft's, only with the addition of duel-wielding which isn't anything special.

Colors Blended Together in a Gray and Brown Mix - Go anywhere, I mean fricking anywhere, and it will look very similar or identical if you go from cave to cave. The colors are either brown, shades of gray or white, with very little in between.

Looked to Real Worldy - And this is my biggest hatred with how it looks. It looks like a freaking boring hike in the woods. It would have been nice if it looked actually good but it doesn't.

Sound - Theres so little of it and what is there is replayed every thirty seconds.

RPG is missing the RP parts - It isn't a Role Playing Game when the games main two actions is kill thing or talk to thing, with zero middle ground.

Leveling System Makes Game Harder - If your using something like Stealth then be prepared to be killed thousands of times by everything.

Leveling Forces You Into a Certain Skill - If you play a archer then get used to using bows.

Bad Writing - This can be seen everywhere. Why did I have to X thing when I could have just done Y and save 50 minutes. Or those very bad accents that you hear throughout the game.

Overall, its still the horrid gaming experience I knew was coming.
[I swear to zombie baby jesus that if someone quotes me to combat my opinion on this by saying that this is not true, I will rip out your internet spinal column.]

 

[Ectoplasmicz]

There is something missing. There is that spark that both Morrowind and Oblivion had, and Skyrim lacks it. Skyrim hasn't lasted me nearly as long.

It just feels so...empty. At least in Oblivion, you felt a sense of urgency in the world around you because of the pesky gates. Yes the story was terrible, but it filled the landscape with something . Skyrim just left me a bit cold, simply underwhelmed.