Topic: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

[Xessive]

Skyrim Patch v1.7 is out!

Update 1.7 (all platforms unless specified)

BUG FIXES

General memory and stability optimizations
Fixed crash related to new water shaders
Fixed rare crash related to dragon landings
Fixed logic error with loading screens from add-ons (Xbox 360)
Using vampiric grip and swimming no longer prevents swimming animation from playing afterwards
Improved recognition with Kinect voice commands (Xbox 360)
Kinect-enabled dragon language shouts for French, German, Italian and Spanish work properly (Xbox 360)
Fixed issue with Dawnguard Kinect-enabled dragon shouts for French, German, Italian and Spanish (Xbox 360)

[Cobra951]

So, mostly Kinect and Dawnguard stuff, neither of which I have.  I'll continue to ignore the game for now.

8 issues fixed, 1200 to go . . .

[MysterD]

So, mostly Kinect and Dawnguard stuff, neither of which I have.  I'll continue to ignore the game for now.

8 issues fixed, 1200 to go . . .

I'm sure the community will fix most of the stuff first...

[idolminds]

Looks like Dawnguard is up on Steam. $20

[MysterD]

Dawnguard PS3 delayed due to performance issues currently.

We are not satisfied yet with Dawnguard’s performance on the PS3. We would like for everyone to have a chance to play Dawnguard, but we aren’t going to release it for PS3 knowing that some people’s experience in Skyrim will be worse. We do everything we can to have our content available to all; from our free updates, to user mods, to paid DLC. We’re as disappointed as our fans when that isn’t the case, but we’ll continue to push for that reality.

[Cobra951]

As usual, PS3 suffers due to its technical distance from the PC development platform.  Hopefully they'll sort this out.

[Xessive]

So far the two developers to have major issues developing for the PS3 are Bethesda and id. Bioware had some difficulty at first but after they brought Mass Effect 2 over to the PS3 they've had a good handle on it.

[MysterD]

Conan O'Brien plays and reviews Skyrim.

How Skyrim Should've Ended Video.

[MysterD]

GameSpy -> Hearthfire could be name of next Skyrim DLC; could be about a zombie apocalypse.

In The Elder Scrolls lore, Hearthfire is the name of the month on the Tamrielic calendar that corresponds to the 30-day period we know as September. It's also a name Zenimax Media trademarked in May for use in a game. Yes, it appears Hearthfire will be the next DLC adventure for TES V, and it could bring the zombie apocalypse to Skyrim.

VentureBeat tracked down the Hearthfire trademark Zenimax submitted to the USPTO on May 24. If it is, in fact, the name of the next DLC pack for Skyrim, it brings some interesting undead possibilities.

Thanks to the ridiculously thorough fansite, The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages, we learn that there is an interesting holiday during the month of Hearthfire. It's called Tales and Tallows, and it's the day necromancy is celebrated by the Mages Guild. From Elder Scrolls Pages:

Tales and Tallows -- No other holiday divides the people of Tamriel like the 3rd of Hearth Fire. A few of the oldest, more superstitious men and women do not speak all day long for fear that the evil spirits of the dead will enter their bodies. Most citizens enjoy the holiday, calling it Tales and Tallows, but even the most lighthearted avoid dark streets, for everyone knows the dead do walk tonight. Only the Mages Guild completely thrives on this day. In celebration of the oldest magical science, necromancy, all magical items are half price today.

Personally, I say bring on the zombie apocalypse! After fighting handfuls of Draugr in tombs across Skyrim, I think it would be a blast to battle against waves of zombies in the villages and cities. Bethesda refused to comment, but this sounds like the real deal. Are you ready for World War Z in Skyrim?

[sirean_syan]

Well, at least they're hitting all the trendy monster stuff right now.

[Pugnate]

haha yeah...

[MysterD]

Well, at least they're hitting all the trendy monster stuff right now.

Dragons - check.
Werewolves - check.
Vampires - check.
Zombies - check.

Hmmm....what's next for "Trendy" monsters..?
What's Skyrim missing...?

[Xessive]

Robots? Well, there are Dwemer Automatons. Maybe they'll do a Robot invasion next?

Considering the pattern, vampires already existed in Skyrim but Dawnguard expanded on it.

[MysterD]

Robots? Well, there are Dwemer Automatons. Maybe they'll do a Robot invasion next?

Hmmm...Dwemer-made Claptraps, eh....?

[sirean_syan]

I know the joke is dead, but if this expansion doesn't start with your character taking an arrow to the knee something is wrong.

[Cools!]

Haha. It's Skyrim Sims.

Having said that, I do think it's kind of neat.

[Quemaqua]

Gads. I can never play this game again. If I ever got that, I would waste so much time.

[MysterD]

[Quemaqua]

Haha, that's awesome.

[Pugnate]

That is really really good!

[Xessive]

TES V: Skywind

Q: What IS Skywind exactly?

A: It is a non-commercial, fan made modification for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim that seeks to merge the amazing world of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind with the enhanced graphics and capabilities of Skyrim's engine.

While ownership of both games is required to play, the player only actually plays Skywind using the Skyrim game, and not the older Morrowind game. This means that the user interface, combat, graphics, and system requirements for the Skywind mod are all those of Skyrim, and NOT Morrowind.

Does that sound awesome or what?! Morrowind was the game that started it all for me (special thanks to Pug), so I'd love to see a revival in a contemporary engine.

[Cools!]

Yeah, saw it a few days ago. It would be really cool to be able to visit Morrowind. Though I imagine it's going to take a lot of work.

[Quemaqua]

Take a shitload of work, especially considering the massive differences in numbers stuff and the entirely different combat. You'd have to re-do so much stuff it wouldn't even be funny.

But oh god yes would I love to see it happen. Morrowind is still one of the best games ever and one of the best worlds. I would very much love to see that brought into a newer, better context, because the game is so wonky as to be nearly unplayable by today's standards.

[MysterD]

TES V: Skywind

Does that sound awesome or what?! Morrowind was the game that started it all for me (special thanks to Pug), so I'd love to see a revival in a contemporary engine.

AWESOME.

I can only wonder how MUCH will be officially put in by Bethesda; and/or actually ported or remade by the modders into Skyrim game/engine...
...since most of the landmass itself of Tamriel is actually already there!

Basically, somebody can just fill it in!

EDIT:
And I'm sure to get it running properly and re-create things, it's going to take A LOT of bloody ridiculous amounts of time.

[Xessive]

According to the FAQ they're planning to bring a lot over; NPCs, quests, and even the armour system (2 pauldrons, 2 gauntlets, etc), though they do specify that the Clothes+Armour+Robes may not happen due to limitations in the new engine.

It's an exciting thought

[Quemaqua]

The more I think about it, the more I realize the work involved. The conversation system is even completely different. You'd have to code something unique in order to even bring over a small amount of that content. No way it can be shoehorned into the current system.

I dunno, man. I would kill to see this happen, but I can't begin to imagine how they'll cope with the issues. But I'll wish them luck and follow it regardless. I very much want to play Morrowind again in a better context.

[MysterD]

GameSpy -> Someone's been modding & re-creating some of the areas from ES1: Arena over into Skyrim PC.

[Cools!]

Neat!

[MysterD]

G4TV -> Rumor -- Upcoming Dragonborn DLC might take place in Morrowind and include Dragon Mounts.

[MysterD]

Destructoid -> Dragonborn DLC Trailer - and yes, it does include some Morrowind-based areas & Dragon Mounts.

[W7RE]

Why is it whenever I think of Morrowind or Oblivion I really want to play them? (never have before) I still haven't even finished the main quest or half the content in Skyrim. I almost got Oblivion and some of it's DLC last week when it was 50% off on Xbox Live.

Actually I did play a little Morrowind back when it was new. I remember feeling utterly overwhelmed and lost lost, and didn't understand the combat at all.

[Xessive]

I remember my first leap into Morrowind. I was lost at first but instead of giving up I embraced it and decided to explore while avoiding any kind of combat until I was confident enough to handle it. What amazed me was the fact that the game didn't mind that I would avoid combat; the game wasn't about killing, it became clear to me that this was an interactive narrative experience. That's what hooked me into the Elder Scrolls universe. That and Pug's support

[Cobra951]

Why is it whenever I think of Morrowind or Oblivion I really want to play them? (never have before) I still haven't even finished the main quest or half the content in Skyrim. I almost got Oblivion and some of it's DLC last week when it was 50% off on Xbox Live.

Actually I did play a little Morrowind back when it was new. I remember feeling utterly overwhelmed and lost lost, and didn't understand the combat at all.

You really need to finish Skyrim.  The epic final chapters are very much worth the effort to get there.

[scottws]

I hated Morrowind.  Somehow, my manager convinced me to get Skyrim.  It's still in shrinkwrap.

I'll always associate the Elder Scrolls universe with standing right in front of a basic enemy with an axe, looking directly at it, and then swinging and missing 6 out of 10 times.

Maybe if there was an animation of the enemy dodging my attack or my axe somehow not being swung accurately at the beast it would have been better.  Or if I simply connected more often.  But no, there was no visual difference between a hit and a miss and misses were more common than not.  It turned me off right away.

[Xessive]

I hated Morrowind.  Somehow, my manager convinced me to get Skyrim.  It's still in shrinkwrap.

I'll always associate the Elder Scrolls universe with standing right in front of a basic enemy with an axe, looking directly at it, and then swinging and missing 6 out of 10 times.

Maybe if there was an animation of the enemy dodging my attack or my axe somehow not being swung accurately at the beast it would have been better.  Or if I simply connected more often.  But no, there was no visual difference between a hit and a miss and misses were more common than not.  It turned me off right away.

I don't recall dice-rolls on hit/miss in Skyrim (or Morrowind and Oblivion), just dice-rolls for critical hits based on your skill stats. If the weapon physically hits it's a hit, it's just a question of how good a hit it is.

I know there isn't a localized damage system but there have been some mods that have attempted adding an accurate system.

[Quemaqua]

No, X, Morrowind was very much die-roll driven. It was annoying in the early game because you just couldn't hit a fucking thing. Scott gave up way too fast, of course, but that was definitely a legit complaint. The game was awkward as hell.

Morrowind was developed by a very small team for what it was. They had, I think, like a single modeler and single animator, something crazy like that. It's obscenely primitive in a lot of ways because of that, and unfortunately hasn't held up well due to those limitations. And I really really hate that because the content of the game was so good, the world was so unique, the mods were so amazing. I don't think I've ever had a comparable experience with a game before or since. I can't go back and get that same feeling, sadly, but for what it was when it was brand-new.... man. Just amazing.

Oblivion isn't too far from Skyrim, just a bit less... I don't know. A little less alive, a little more standard fantasy, not so good with character interaction and such. Still a great game for what it was, and the Shivering Isles expansion is just fucking fantastic.

[MysterD]

No, X, Morrowind was very much die-roll driven. It was annoying in the early game because you just couldn't hit a fucking thing. Scott gave up way too fast, of course, but that was definitely a legit complaint. The game was awkward as hell.

Especially before Level 10.

Morrowind was developed by a very small team for what it was. They had, I think, like a single modeler and single animator, something crazy like that. It's obscenely primitive in a lot of ways because of that, and unfortunately hasn't held up well due to those limitations. And I really really hate that because the content of the game was so good, the world was so unique, the mods were so amazing. I don't think I've ever had a comparable experience with a game before or since. I can't go back and get that same feeling, sadly, but for what it was when it was brand-new.... man. Just amazing.

Oblivion isn't too far from Skyrim, just a bit less... I don't know. A little less alive, a little more standard fantasy, not so good with character interaction and such. Still a great game for what it was, and the Shivering Isles expansion is just fucking fantastic.

Oblivion was great, but yeah - the world was more generic and traditional fantasy. A lot seemed to be inspired by Rome, BTW.
Morrowind's world was amazing - and I'm glad w/ Skyrim, the next DLC is aiming to go back to Morrowind. I'm stoked for it. It's just such a different and off-putting world, w/ all the ways they treat "out-landers."
Shiv Isles was awesome - especially for an expansion. Same goes for Bloodmoon expansion, as well.

[W7RE]

My brother was telling me that in Oblivion it's possible to build your character wrong and make the game too hard. Something about using the right skills to level up because you get more points into them, and you can be gimped otherwise? Is that accurate?

I'm tempted to buy Oblivion GOTY off Newegg since it's on sale, but if I can't just jump in casually without gimping myself, I'm not sure I want to play it. I'd really rather not have to plan my character out in advance or anything.

[idolminds]

I suppose you could do it "wrong", but the world scales with you so you'd really have to fuck up to make it too hard. But there is a special sort of way to level up to maximize your character. Efficient leveling

I never did this, just played however I wanted and I leveled up and handled things fine. Its just for min/maxing.

[Quemaqua]

It's sort of possible but not really something you have to worry about. If you make a super specific but kind of poor build and then do it stupidly, yeah, you can bone yourself a little, but I doubt 90% of players would ever run into such a scenario. When I first started I built a guy who focused pretty much exclusively on poison damage, which was dumb because there are magical creatures who weren't really susceptible as the game progressed, but he was so weak otherwise it got a bit rough. But most builds aren't like that, and if I'd been smart enough to carry around some items and such, it wouldn't have been a problem. Just got stuck for a while in one story spot that I couldn't get out of. I got through, just took me some retries.