Skyrim: Elder Scrolls V

[CreepersWiener]

So far, I rarely use my companions in combat since the Ranger I have going likes to be all sneaky. I use Lydia as a mule though.


--Andy

Yep, that was the main reason I brought Lydia around so she could carry stuff. I have just now begun focusing more on Archery! The good bow and a high level sneak ability ROCK! You can do massive amounts of damage before you are observed! Ranger is a good choice indeed!

[AndyDufresne]

It is is pretty fun yes. I'll probably create another character that is more brute-ish and another character more mage-ish eventually to experiment with those types of builds.


--Andy

[AndyDufresne]

I came across one of semi-bugged items I've heard about in blogs: the 'Elven Boots of Eminent Stamina'---which appear like body-armor. I really wanted such boots, but didn't want to wear the semi-bugged item, so I opted for Superior Leather Boots of Major Stamina instead.


--Andy

[Anthrax821]

or you can make your own stamina boots

[AndyDufresne]

In case some of you haven't come across these:

Skyrim Fan Film, Parodying Bugs




Skyrim Time Elapse




An Arrow in the Knee -- The Guard's Back Story




And last, a news story about a man trying to stay up and break the world record for continuous video gaming...by playing Skyrim.


--Andy

[john9blue]

And last, a news story about a man trying to stay up and break the world record for continuous video gaming...by playing Skyrim.


--Andy

i'm pretty sure i've broken this record a few times without even knowing it

[CreepersWiener]

New Skyrim song cover by that hot Mexican chick again!

[CreepersWiener]

Okay...a couple things are really starting to annoy me (still a good game though). Your conjurations or companions will always want to charge head on into battle ruining any type of sneak you had going. The other is (at least on PS3) when you are transferring between Skyrim and an Inn or Dungeon through a door, the screen turns black with misty smoke. That smoke froze on me TWICE today! It freezes up the whole game and I have to turn the console off manually and restart.

As far as funny bugs, I found if you stand just right while sneaking behind a building, and you get your head really close to a building your face will disappear and you can see inside your own armor (like Hollow Man). However, you can still see your teeth floating in the air! LOL!

I can't find examples of the teeth, but I found examples of floating eyeballs (towards the end of this video):

[TheProwler]

Is the dragon supposed to be blue/purple?


Regarding controlling your over-eager companions: I find that any companions in Oblivion just get in the way. It sounds like they kept it pretty much the same in Skyrim.

Party combat was exceptional in Dragon Age: Origins. I stay away from it in Oblivion...maybe Skyrim too.

[CreepersWiener]

Is the dragon supposed to be blue/purple?


Regarding controlling your over-eager companions: I find that any companions in Oblivion just get in the way. It sounds like they kept it pretty much the same in Skyrim.

Party combat was exceptional in Dragon Age: Origins. I stay away from it in Oblivion...maybe Skyrim too.

The dragon is not supposed to be flat bluish color. That is a gaming glitch...I haven't ran into it in my game. The gaming companions can really get in your way, and it becomes quite annoying (especially if you are trying to move away from combat and your Atronach blocks your retreat!). It still helps to have companions and familiars to go off into combat, but the control over them is almost nonexistent.

I must agree that Dragon Age has seemed to have mastered the combat commands for all party members. That feature worked very nice for party adventures, but the overall feeling of exploration and high adventure seems to be superior in Skyrim. As a more "lone wolf" type of game, Skyrim works good and the first person aspect really makes you feel like you are in the game. I enjoy the way you level up and choose which abilities you want your character to excel in.

Dragon Age had strict classes that you gained powers in, but in Skyrim you are free to develop your character without necessarily limiting yourself to a specific class (although, your character will be more powerful sooner if you do).

The Skyrim gaming system is meant to learn by preference (if you know what I am saying). In Dragon Age, you just chose your powers and you pretty much knew what they basically were going to do, but in Skyrim you will learn categories of skills, each evolving by the gamer's personal preference--that is to say how each individual gamer imagines his/her character to be.

The Skyrim skill advancements is very similar to FF13 skill screen advancements.

I do wish Skyrim would be more multi-adventurer friendly. Perhaps next game in the series will incorporate some type of Dragon Age-style party member format?

But then again, you would lose the "Skyrim-feel" that you have become attached to in this particular genre of gaming. That was why I didn't think Dead Space 2 was as good as Dead Space, because in the second game the developers decided to let Isaac talk! I didn't agree with that decision for the game, there was just something unique and personal about having Isaac silently walking through a spaceship full of scary monsters! It made it more personable I think. Although Dead Space still stuck to its same playability system, it was just the introduction of Isaac now having a voice that threw me off. If Skyrim decided to make too drastic of a change in its gaming features, there probably would be a large uproar from fans. People just get comfortable and attached to their games...even to the games' apparently slight flaws.

[TheProwler]

I must agree that Dragon Age has seemed to have mastered the combat commands for all party members. That feature worked very nice for party adventures, but the overall feeling of exploration and high adventure seems to be superior in Skyrim.

Well said. That feeling of exploration is what keeps me playing Oblivion so regularly. I might give this mod a try soon: http://morroblivion.com/ It sounds massive.

[AndyDufresne]

Skyrim Themed Monopoly anyone?

Click image to enlarge.

--Andy

[CreepersWiener]

Quench.

[edocsil]

I must agree that Dragon Age has seemed to have mastered the combat commands for all party members. That feature worked very nice for party adventures, but the overall feeling of exploration and high adventure seems to be superior in Skyrim.

Well said. That feeling of exploration is what keeps me playing Oblivion so regularly. I might give this mod a try soon: http://morroblivion.com/ It sounds massive.

I won't touch a game that resembles anything like DA2 ever again, it was pathetic excuse for a unfinished game. DA:O was a decent game, but both completely lacked the depth of Skyrim.

[CreepersWiener]

I must agree that Dragon Age has seemed to have mastered the combat commands for all party members. That feature worked very nice for party adventures, but the overall feeling of exploration and high adventure seems to be superior in Skyrim.

Well said. That feeling of exploration is what keeps me playing Oblivion so regularly. I might give this mod a try soon: http://morroblivion.com/ It sounds massive.

I won't touch a game that resembles anything like DA2 ever again, it was pathetic excuse for a unfinished game. DA:O was a decent game, but both completely lacked the depth of Skyrim.

I only own the first Dragon'sAge...never bought the second, I heard bad things about it as well. But the first wasn't that bad, Skyrim is much more in depth and better submerges you into its world.

Now, a quick question.

I just married Yolanda in Whiterun. I got her at my house. I furnished everything I could, but she still won't take her clothes off and get into bed! How do you get your wife to take her clothes off and get into bed with you?

[pancakemix]

I must agree that Dragon Age has seemed to have mastered the combat commands for all party members. That feature worked very nice for party adventures, but the overall feeling of exploration and high adventure seems to be superior in Skyrim.

Well said. That feeling of exploration is what keeps me playing Oblivion so regularly. I might give this mod a try soon: http://morroblivion.com/ It sounds massive.

I won't touch a game that resembles anything like DA2 ever again, it was pathetic excuse for a unfinished game. DA:O was a decent game, but both completely lacked the depth of Skyrim.

I only own the first Dragon'sAge...never bought the second, I heard bad things about it as well. But the first wasn't that bad, Skyrim is much more in depth and better submerges you into its world.

Now, a quick question.

I just married Yolanda in Whiterun. I got her at my house. I furnished everything I could, but she still won't take her clothes off and get into bed! How do you get your wife to take her clothes off and get into bed with you?

Yeah, this game is awesome but there's like one cutscene. One of the things they put in but could've made amazing was:

show

[TheProwler]

I must agree that Dragon Age has seemed to have mastered the combat commands for all party members. That feature worked very nice for party adventures, but the overall feeling of exploration and high adventure seems to be superior in Skyrim.

Well said. That feeling of exploration is what keeps me playing Oblivion so regularly. I might give this mod a try soon: http://morroblivion.com/ It sounds massive.

I won't touch a game that resembles anything like DA2 ever again, it was pathetic excuse for a unfinished game. DA:O was a decent game, but both completely lacked the depth of Skyrim.

I haven't played 2...I read it was really dumbed-down from Origins to appeal to the console gamers...after reading your comment about it being "unfinished", I might not waste my time.

[TheProwler]

How do you get your wife to take her clothes off and get into bed with you?

I find about 1 and a half bottles of a nice Riesling does the trick....

[pancakemix]

Haven't played DA yet, but I got Origins, Awakening, and 2 in a set for $12.50, so I won't complain too much if I don't like it.

I'm saving it for my time between classes when I have nothing to do.

[CreepersWiener]

You know, I was focusing my character on Destruction, Conjuration, and Restoration magics; however, I never seemed to use my Illusion school of magic. So, I decided I was going to try casting the Muffle spell (which makes it easier for you to sneak and pickpocket). When I first started casting it, my Illusion expertise immediately went up! I thought to myself,"Wow! I am increasing really fast!" So, I fooled around and just kept casting the spell on myself, and I kept increasing in power and level.

The rest of the spells you cast, I believe you have to actually use them in combat or when they are meant to be cast (such as Restoration when you need to be healed or defended from attacks, and Conjuration when you actually summon during an encounter). But, the Muffle spell is different. You can cast that spell on yourself anytime and it will increase your Illusion expertise.

So, what I decided to do was to have my High Elf don some magic robes that increased my Magica regeneration by 125%, a Helmet that decreases my illusion spell drain by 17%, and activate my High Elf magic regeneration power. I went to my house and stood at the foot of my bed. I would just activate my High Elf power and keep casting Muffle, and then when my High Elf power subsided; I would just go to bed for 24 hours. I would do this over and over, advancing in levels very fast!

I have mastered my Illusion Skill to its max capacity, and I gained ten levels in a very short space of time!

So, if you need to gain some quick levels and want to Master one of your skills, the Illusion Skill is the easiest that I found so far.

[AndyDufresne]

There are some skills that seem, hm, a little too easy to advance, and take away from the "ah, accomplishment" feel that I'd like to have, so I've tried to avoid any sort of power-leveling, since this isn't an mmorpg and I don't need to compete against anyone else.


--Andy

[thegreekdog]

There are some skills that seem, hm, a little too easy to advance, and take away from the "ah, accomplishment" feel that I'd like to have, so I've tried to avoid any sort of power-leveling, since this isn't an mmorpg and I don't need to compete against anyone else.


--Andy

I've found that advancing in levels isn't always helpful if certain skills aren't advanced. For example, I did a lot of mining and then forging, which increased my blacksmith skill to the point where I ended up gaining two levels just because of the increase of that minor skill. I then went to clear out a fort on behalf of some imperials and almost got my ass handed to me. I don't know for sure, but I suspect "bad guy" levels increase relative to your own level. So I was level 11 without the requisite increases in light armor, one-handed weapon, and destruction magic skills and got killed a few times.

In other news, this is one of the best games I've ever played.

[Anthrax821]

and that is why power leveling and manipulating the system can suck.

[InkL0sed]

There are some skills that seem, hm, a little too easy to advance, and take away from the "ah, accomplishment" feel that I'd like to have, so I've tried to avoid any sort of power-leveling, since this isn't an mmorpg and I don't need to compete against anyone else.


--Andy

I've found that advancing in levels isn't always helpful if certain skills aren't advanced. For example, I did a lot of mining and then forging, which increased my blacksmith skill to the point where I ended up gaining two levels just because of the increase of that minor skill. I then went to clear out a fort on behalf of some imperials and almost got my ass handed to me. I don't know for sure, but I suspect "bad guy" levels increase relative to your own level. So I was level 11 without the requisite increases in light armor, one-handed weapon, and destruction magic skills and got killed a few times.

In other news, this is one of the best games I've ever played.

Yeah, everything in Skyrim is "levelled", which is what you were referring to.

[MeDeFe]

[quote="thegreekdog"
I've found that advancing in levels isn't always helpful if certain skills aren't advanced. For example, I did a lot of mining and then forging, which increased my blacksmith skill to the point where I ended up gaining two levels just because of the increase of that minor skill. I then went to clear out a fort on behalf of some imperials and almost got my ass handed to me. I don't know for sure, but I suspect "bad guy" levels increase relative to your own level.[/quote]
Yeah, that's what happens. But it's not completely linear and there are various caps in place, generally speaking you get more powerful more quickly compared to the enemies.