Elder Scrolls V "Skyrim" (and a discussion about E.S. IV, Oblivion)

[Art Blade]

Let's wait a bit until all issues have been addressed and fixed (patched). Like, a year or so. :-D

[PZ]

It'll be in the bargain bin by then  :-()

[Fiach]

OK, so I caved in, both will and flesh are weaksauce.I went with the PC version (for mods), it autodetected my settimgs, and it chose "High", I was kinda pleased with that.

The game seems to run at a very low framerate, combat sucks balls in First Person, but you can switch to TP view, so that helps, the inventory.... there is absolutely no design in it, its just plain black and white text, no icons etc. It looks just functional, no concept behind it. Lockpicking is OK, you have a slim dagger and a pin, you rotate one or the other until you find the sweet spot.

The game starts as you being a prisoner and something happens, so you wind up escaping from the dungeons as in Oblivion iirc. Once you get outside, the world is quite nice looking, water (rivers, waterfalls etc.) is very nice and natural looking.

Character design is OK, more realistic than oblivion I think. I saw the first dragon, it was very well done, very scary, but havent fought one yet, so I'm looking forward to that.

The game auto detects my  controller, which is nice and it controls well.... I think the game would be a good argument on how consoles are invading the PC niche, its basic gfx and ease of control would make me believe this game was concieved with consoles in mind, thats not a bad thing, but I am playing on a PC and I have seen older yet better looking console games in the same genre. Two Worlds  2 springs to mind :)

On saying that, the world seems to be pretty HUGE, so that would hamper gfx quite a bit, to keep it running smoothly. One thing I noticed, (could be my gfx card), but if you are in a light space, when you turn to a dark space, it can take a second or two to adjust to the light, I dont know if this is a purposeful design or  glitch, but its annoying in combat indoors.

Havent tried any quests yet, other than to escape, but I'm anticipating a high quality experience with them.

[PZ]

Good post - the game doesn't sound like my cup of tea  ;)

[Art Blade]

Fiach, the change from light to dark sounds like typical (purposeful) "HDR" gfx (high dynamic range) which is supposed to mimic real life: if you stared into the sun and then dropped into a dark cave it'd indeed take you a couple of seconds (quite a couple of seconds) to adapt to the darkness. :)

[Fiach]

Yeah mate, I kinda thought that may be it, but its annoying when it happens in one room lol :)

Hit the first large town, the gfx do look good now, many different textures and effects, as opposed to dungeons and countryside, which are dark and snow covered, respectively, making for boring viewing . The game does have one annoyance peculiar to RPG's, having to wait for a shop to open at 9am, who ever thought that was a good idea, should be sacked immediately lol :)

Combat is annoying as I said earlier, but I couldnt figure out why.... you done seem to be able to "lock-on" to a target, causing you to miss alarmingly frequently.

The world is quite huge, making initial explorations time consuming, but you can return to previously discovered locations by clicking on the map.

[spaceboy]

I picked this up today.  I'm not sure if I'll dig in this weekend or not, I still have unfinished business in other games lol.  This is my first dip into the ES series.  This just sounded too interesting to pass up.  Since I'm not wrapped up into the storyline I think I might be able to enjoy the free roaming, exploring, quests, etc. as they unfold naturally.  The "radiant story" they talked about should make this fluid.  To me this seems like a mix of RDR/Assassin's Creed (I may be wrong)  The idea of interacting with lots of NPCs is interesting to me.  The world looks like a treat to just walk/ride through and see what you come upon.

[Art Blade]

Should be a perfect game for you spaceboy :)


There are no cars in it.

[PZ]

 

[Fiach]

LOL :)

Well there are horses, so it must be like RDR then 

[Art Blade]

 :-D

[PZ]

...we must preserve the old ways... <said while pounding the floor with an ancient wooden staff>

[fragger]

 

[Art Blade]

hahaha 

[Fiach]

Anyone playing this yet?

I was wondering if anyone had an archer or a caster, I'm currently playing melee as I find the ranged character combat a bit....s#!t, you cant lock on to aim (from what I can see, manual doesnt mention it anyway).

I'm currently level 14 and enjoying it so far, the world is pretty huge, so it involves ALOT of walking around, but at least you can fast travel to any places you have discovered.

I have a companion with me, I got her from one of the first quests, but there are other people that will help you ig you do small quests for them, their pathfinding can be a little upsetting at times though. They are handy for carrying junk too :)

[PZ]

Not me - some chap named Fiach is playing games so I don't have to  :-()

Seriously, from your earlier description it did not sound like something I would complete.

[spaceboy]

Yeah I started it, underline started.  I like it so far, but have been trying to wrap up Uncharted 3.  I created a Redguard character, and just went to Riverwood and White Run (haven't spoken to the King or whatever yet though).  On the way around Riverwood and to White Run, my 7 year old daughter wanted to move the character around, so we started a new save file for "her" and we created this wicked female Reptilian race warrior goddess with awesome horns etc. lol  Then we took her and veered off straight away from the escape, found a house of bandits, and cleared them out after picking the lock to gain access to their hut.   :-()  FUN!

My son has also created a couple characters for himself and has taken one to White Run.  So we are very early in, only level 1 and 2s.  I fully expect this game to be one I play for a LONG time, on and off with other games.  I also expect to allow myself to get distracted since, coming in as my first ES game, I don't particularly care about finding out the story (though it's interesting enough) and just want to wander and do side missions as much as the main missions.

I'm thinking of starting again too as one of those Tiger looking dudes...I'm always playing as humans, why not something else for this game?

[spaceboy]

...and PZ - you might actually like it.  The fighting isn't as fluid as Assassin's Creed, but similar weapons, plus a huge open world, lots of NPCs to mess around with (pickpocketing like you enjoyed so much in AC), The beginning is intriguing enough to get you into the story and world.  It's my son's new favorite and can't stop talking about it.

[PZ]

hmmm... I'll have to look at a few more videos.  ;)

:-X

[Art Blade]

The last game (Oblivion) had a couple of things that influenced your average gaming:

- Learn how to make magic potions by collecting plants and other stuff like rat meat and crabs, combine and distil them with a more and more sophisticated apparatus so you got more or less useful potions or highly dangerous poisons, or eat stuff to benefit (or suffer) from their effects.

- learn to use and create spells and enchant various things (clothes, weapons, rings..)

- learn how to use different weapons and armour

Stuff like that. Anything of the first two still in the game?

[Fiach]

Not me - some chap named Fiach is playing games so I don't have to  :-()

Seriously, from your earlier description it did not sound like something I would complete.

ROFL! Touche mate :)

Spaceboy have you tried a ranged character?

Anyway, pro-tips :)

Theres a guy in the first town, goes around with a big quiver on his back, he'll ask you to deliver a letter for him, if you do, He will become a companion if you want, he will teach you Archery for a price, so get him to teach you (he can teach you 5 stages per level up), while he is a companion, then pay him and ask him to trade, you can take your money back from him, rinse/repeat :)

Alchemy. making potions, you dont need to "learn it", once you know the ingredients for an item, just make it at a bench, now, later on you will need more powerful potions, Alchemy training will make your potions more powerful, but (well I'm lv 14) I havent needed to yet, but, be aware that its not easy to find potions in shops, they will only have one or two, so you need to harvest stuff.

Health Potion Recipies Here is the effect, eg Restore Health, then the different ingredients needed. Just decide what your character will be, then just pick up the materials you need, save cluttering up your INV, eg a Warrior will need Health and Stamina, a Mage will need Health and Magicka.



EFFECT


INGREDIENT 1


INGREDIENT 2




Restore Health


Blue Mountain Flower


Butterfly Wing




Fortify Health


Giant's Toe


Hanging Moss




Regenerate Health


Juniper Berries


Nordic Barnacle



Magicka Potion Recipies



EFFECT


INGREDIENT 1


INGREDIENT 2




Restore Magicka

Creep CLuster


Red Mountain Flower




Fortify Magicka


Red Mountain Flower


Tundra Cotton




Regenerate Magicka


Garlic


Salt Pile



Stamina Potion Recipies



EFFECT


INGREDIENT 1


INGREDIENT 2




Restore Stamina


Pine Thrush Egg


Purple Mountain Flower




Fortify Stamina


Garlic


Lavender




Regenerate Stamina


Bee


Mora Tapinella



Resistance Potion Recipies



EFFECT


INGREDIENT 1


INGREDIENT 2




Resist Fire


Fly Amanita


Snowberries




Resist Frost


Snowberries


Thistle Branch




Resist Shock


Glowdust


Snowberries



Utility Potion Recipies



EFFECT


INGREDIENT 1


INGREDIENT 2




Invisibility


Chaurus Eggs


Nirnroot




Waterbreathing


Chicken's Egg


Nordic Barnacle

[spaceboy]

see I'm more of  a melee guy rather than magic.  While I won't mind crafting a thing here or there, I imagine I may not take the game to that extent.  Maybe I'll be into it enough where I want to do that, but right now I'm hoping to take down most enemies with brute strength  ;D    I definitely will look up the archer guy though (I think I met him but didn't have enough money for a lesson), because I love bows and arrows - or more specifically crossbows if I can get 'em.

[Fiach]

I think you will need to make the potions mate, some enemies are pretty tough, they are always your level as they scale with you.  :-(

[spaceboy]

that's cool.  I've been harvesting plants when I see them and picking up strange things like crab claws or whatever.  I'm sure it'll engage me enough to do them if I need to in order to fight something.  Right now it just feels like a huge open new world for me to investigate without worrying about the future story...just what I was looking for!  :-X

[Art Blade]

Thanks Fiach :)

I remember in Oblivion I used to have enchanted weapons and armour and rings and amulets which I had personally spiced up at the mages university as well as self-made/custom-made spells I could create at the varsity, too. Those became so potent I could afford to completely skip alchemy at some point :) Until then, geeeeeez, collecting all kinds of stuff and creating all kinds of potions, some of which were poisons you could for example dip your arrows or tip of the sword in and then.. hehe  >:D I remember I had this incredible poision made from apples from the brotherhood, there was NO cure against those apples/poison made from them.  ^-^