ijffdresomethings: the elder scrolls analyis

Oh look, this thread got a legitimate respo-

^^

 

at least it contained big words...


*cry*

 

So I started a new thread then saw this one. Don't want to read the analyses for the other games/be spoiled about any of the games, but skyrim is fantastic. I have 22 hours played since I got it 40 hours ago (15-ish hours sleeping).

 

I've never played an Elder Scrolls game, but from what I've seen in Skyrim, I really want it. The combat system looks really nice, and I like that you can duel cast spells. Too bad I need to wait until I can afford a good computer, this one can barely handle SC2 on low.

 

That's how I was, Eon... so I bought it at the midnight release. I haven't acquired the perk for stronger dual-casts mostly because I'm archery-focused, but being able to heal myself while simultaneously burning a target has been crucial in some battles.

 

Oh yay, now to write more long posts. . Take note that I write the next couple of posts before fully exploring the game, since, y'know, it's only been out for a couple of days.


Let me start off with a major, major positive: Spells. The new spell mechanics are a massive, massive improvement over the already pretty decent oblivion and morrowind mechanics. I was originally planning to go the stealth-archer route like I did in oblivion, but instead found myself drawn towards the awesome new magics in this game.

The graphics are of course, beautiful. The collision map on most objects is very good, which really helps the immersion. Again, a massive improvement over the floating books of Oblivion. The mountain views are the single most impressive graphics I've ever seen in a game, with the light shining down in some of the caverns an easy second. I do however have a problem with the shadows; for some reason, every few seconds, all the shadows in the world go blurry for a second. Fire can also cast some very odd shadows. Still, this is easily the most beautiful game I've ever played.

The AI is also a vast improvement over Oblivion, though the pathing can still be sorta awkward at times (my companion once got stuck on a rock). I really like how the animals act.

The factions, one of my bigger issues with oblivion, are also vastly improved, tying excellently into the overall setting. I especially like what they did with the guild of mages.

The dungeons are awesome. It's like they combined the best parts of morrowind, oblivion and shivering isles in there. The puzzles are fun and the atmosphere is great.

There are however three things I really disagree with.
1) Housing and storing mechanics. Skyrim copies the housing and storage system from oblivion completely, forcing you to use the expensive sold houses, rather than just allowing the player to use a conquered dungeon or house with dead inhabitants. This is because of the container mechanics, where most containers delete whatever stuff you put in them after a while. The decoration mechanics are almost, but not quite, as awkward as in oblivion, and I really miss morrowind's "click-to-drop" option for displaying items. I did find the interactive weapon stand handy, and I hope there is a similar thing for armour.
2)Unkillable children. There was a pretty major debate regarding whether or not to include children, and whether they should be killable or not. I'm fairly strictly a "either make them act like other NPC's (AKA, make them killable), or don't include them at all." I just feel like it damages the immersion a bit.
3)The opening, while pretty, combines the worst of morrowind and oblivion. It takes control out of the hands of the character for a ridiculously long time and is unskippable. It's still quite pretty, but I really don't look forward to having to make a new character.

In conclusion, I really, really, REALLY like this game. It resembles Oblivion a bit more than I had hoped, but manages to avoid or improve upon most aspects of that game. I'll probably still mod the game quite a bit, but mostly to expand, not to fix mistakes. Rating for now: 9.5/10.

 

I am a little disappointed by the ruins of Mzuleft though. Could the developers really not rusted/gold copy the colour scheme of the dwemer in Morrowind? If only that was changed, the ruins would be pretty much perfect though.

 

Don't know what mzuleft is, but I really super-suggest everybody to do the quest Discerning the Transmundane. It leads you to the most beautiful place ever.

 

It's a dwemer ruin in mid-eastern skyrim that you access during a college of winterhold quest.

 

Dwemer are the same guys that made the box and the ruin in your quest, which I really have to wonder about. Apparently, it contains the heart of Kagrenac, the very item you destroyed in the last main quest of morrowind. Hrm.

 

I like the look of the dwemer ruins I have thus far stumbled across.

 

It's not a bad look, I'm not saying that. It just doesn't mesh with their appearance in earlier games. Though that cave is pretty damn pretty. I mean, WOW.

 

Ok. Playing a Dunmar Flame Mage.

This game is awesome. Conjure Flame Atronach, throw fireballs till it dies, rinse, repeat. I got the Black Star and have so much Magicka Regen it's not even funny. Also, Dunmar=loldragon.

On a side note, for all you stealthy thief characters, pickpocket a Forsworn Briarheart.

 

I sure wish QUEST ITEM HERE didn't have to stay in your inventory and weigh 20 pounds at the same time. I also wish somebody had told me increasing stamina increases my carry capacity.

 

Not to mention I have no idea what quests's some of these things are for. Who wants a giant's toe? Or the alto wine?

 

@EMR - Do the quest?

@Drie - Alchemy! For the toe anyway.

 

some quest items are attainable even if you don't have the quest, nor a clue where you could get the quests.

 

The wiki.



I know some might consider it cheating, but it's annoying when the game foists quest items on you.

 

I know, but I'd still like to see it fixed in-game. Morrowind had droppable quest items (though that game kept permanent track of items dropped in zones) and oblivion had zero-weight quest items.

p.s. thanks to my dead hard-drive and being forced to downgrade severely pc-wise, I am now playing daggerfall. Dear god does that control scheme suck.

 

daggerfall was a bit too confusing for me, and after having to wait 7 minutes because I was convicted of some crime, and then another minute because I was suspected of planning a crime, I gave up (for now at least).

Currently playing battlespire instead. Fun game, though the sound is horrrrrrrrrrendous.