The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

[DougW]

haha, awesome

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Peregrine

One thing I have been wondering lately - so the game has the capability to see fairly large scale, group on group combat, as you see in the imperials vs stormcloaks questline. My question is, why aren't we seeing this in other parts of the game? Where are the bandit gangs attacking a village and the villagers defending themselves with axes and such until you come along? Why not have to defend an injured soldier against a wave of trolls? The Forsworn seem to have fairly infinite numbers of men (and women.) Why don't they occasionally attack Markarth? That kind of stuff would be fun.

I would imagine it's because you'd either have to neuter the combat & make the villagers unkillable or deal with losing large quantities of characters necessary for trading, issuance of quests, etc.

The tradeoff, I suppose, would be giving cities larger numbers of "red shirt" citizens ala Star Trek away teams but I'm not sure that I'd want to have to find important characters in amidst an Assassin's Creed type clutter either.

[Grover]

Required viewing.

[DaddyTorgo]

I need to spend some time investigating "must have" PC mods that are out already before I get any deeper into the game.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Grover

Required viewing.

Catch it Saturday mornings right after Grand Theft Autobots! *

edit to add: *shamelessly stolen from the interwebz

[Landshark44]

ok, Level 5 and having a great time with the game. I use a two-handed warhammer and just bash things.... i'm thinking i'd like to get some archery skills.....

can i ignore magic? i'd just as soon keep smashing things, but i'm afraid if i keep ignoring it i'll regret it....

[Grover]

Originally Posted by Landshark44

ok, Level 5 and having a great time with the game. I use a two-handed warhammer and just bash things.... i'm thinking i'd like to get some archery skills.....

can i ignore magic? i'd just as soon keep smashing things, but i'm afraid if i keep ignoring it i'll regret it....

I haven't invested in magic with any of my characters. If I've got a warrior type, like you seem to, I might eventually put a perk or two into restoration to reduce the cost and enhance the effect of healing spells, but that's about it.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

I need to spend some time investigating "must have" PC mods that are out already before I get any deeper into the game.

I really recommend getting some of the hi-res texture packs. The game can,be incredibly beautiful, but a lot of the default textures look horrible and signs vs. be nearly unreadable.

[DougW]

Originally Posted by Landshark44

ok, Level 5 and having a great time with the game. I use a two-handed warhammer and just bash things.... i'm thinking i'd like to get some archery skills.....

can i ignore magic? i'd just as soon keep smashing things, but i'm afraid if i keep ignoring it i'll regret it....

I rarely use magic at all. I'll pump resto on both hands and heal myself up really quick if I can slip behind some terrain and do it safely (I'm an archer, and sometimes I get hit if I'm fighting other archers). Even then, I only do it because it's cheaper than using a potion. I've never used any offensive spells, and don't regret it at all.

Maybe one day I'll make a mage character, and get into the "magics" of the game, but am having alot of fun without.

[DougW]

Originally Posted by mckerney

I really recommend getting some of the hi-res texture packs. The game can,be incredibly beautiful, but a lot of the default textures look horrible and signs vs. be nearly unreadable.

Which do you suggest ? (wondering if I'm missing any)

I use (the visual mods i use):
Water textures
Faces
Eyes
FXAA PPI
Glowing Ore mines
Improved Snow
Silly detailed bottles (potions, poisons, alcohol)
Serious HD improvements.

[Drake]

I've tried several of the texture mods, and the Serious HD textures have been, by a wide margin, the most noticeable. Very well done.

I have to admit that I'm really digging the Nightingale Prime retex. It's not a game-changer, but I'm fond of it.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by Landshark44

ok, Level 5 and having a great time with the game. I use a two-handed warhammer and just bash things.... i'm thinking i'd like to get some archery skills.....

can i ignore magic? i'd just as soon keep smashing things, but i'm afraid if i keep ignoring it i'll regret it....

I agree with others, restoration for sure, not sure you would need anything else unless you are playing a full on Mage.

I put a couple of points in the destruction perk so I can cast flame at a reduced cost, good for frying 2-3 animals at once. Other than that I use my bow or dagger if I can sneak up on someone and get a backstab for 15X damage.

[DaddyTorgo]

I'm playing a full-on mage so far. It's interesting.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by DougW

Which do you suggest ? (wondering if I'm missing any)

I use (the visual mods i use):
Water textures
Faces
Eyes
FXAA PPI
Glowing Ore mines
Improved Snow
Silly detailed bottles (potions, poisons, alcohol)
Serious HD improvements.

Main ones I use that you didn't mention are HiRes Road Signs and Skyrim HD - 2k Textures.

[mckerney]

Fixes in today's patch:

- General stability improvements
- Optimize performance for Core 2 Duo CPUs
- Fixed Radiant Story incorrectly filling certain roles
- Fixed magic resistances not calculating properly
- Fixed issue with placing books on bookshelves inside player purchased homes
- Fixed dragon animation issues with saving and loading
- Fixed Y-look input to scale correctly with framerate

Another is supposed to come next week that will let Skyrim use more than 2 GBs for RAM.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

I'm playing a full-on mage so far. It's interesting.

Are you able to survive close quarters combat regularly relying on magic or do you have a go to melee weapon?

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by BYU 14

Are you able to survive close quarters combat regularly relying on magic or do you have a go to melee weapon?

I'm still a newb-mage, so I have to go to a melee weapon or else do the whole "fireball...then run away" kind of thing. When I get up in level though I'll let you know.

[DougW]

Originally Posted by Drake

I've tried several of the texture mods, and the Serious HD textures have been, by a wide margin, the most noticeable. Very well done.

I have to admit that I'm really digging the Nightingale Prime retex. It's not a game-changer, but I'm fond of it.

Originally Posted by mckerney

Main ones I use that you didn't mention are HiRes Road Signs and Skyrim HD - 2k Textures.

Thx guys, I'm gonna give these a try.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

I'm still a newb-mage, so I have to go to a melee weapon or else do the whole "fireball...then run away" kind of thing. When I get up in level though I'll let you know.

I've always thought a heavy dose of paralysis potions would be a must for a magic-oriented character in combat.

[EagleFan]

Probably sooo far behind everyone else in this game but I just had a fun little bit of revenge on an ice troll. D*** thing was kicking my a**; must be much higher than level 11.

There were a couple grazing mammoths down the hill. Wondered what would happen if I kited him down there. Found out that mammoths seem to hate ice trolls.

They stomped the crap out of him. Waited for them to finish and then looted.

[Peregrine]

When I play my mage, I keep a melee weapon handy for using when I run out of magicka, or sometimes I use it against other mages who like to keep their magic shield up constantly. But from what I've seen, by the time you finish the Mage School questline, you have so much magicka regen that you don't really need melee weapons as much.

[korme]

Once you learn how to cast the spell, Oakflesh, do it whenever you're walking somewhere with nothing dangerous around... ie a cleared tower/dungeon/etc a town... it's a really quick way to level up alteration and your total level up as well

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Peregrine

When I play my mage, I keep a melee weapon handy for using when I run out of magicka, or sometimes I use it against other mages who like to keep their magic shield up constantly. But from what I've seen, by the time you finish the Mage School questline, you have so much magicka regen that you don't really need melee weapons as much.

With use of potions, I've not found magicka regen to be a huge issue for my not-strictly-mage-but-flame-destruction-spells-loving character.

The problem with mage-only combat that I imagine (from the outside looking in) would be maintaining enough standoff distance to cast them often enough to avoid getting your ass kicked at close quarters, unless you're using flame cloak or something. I mean, I can knock a lot of things out with fireballs & the like, but when you've got four falmers coming at you simultaneously, that's a lot of shots to try to get off before the battleaxes start chopping you into soon-to-be-respawning pieces.

What am I missing here, about pure mage combat?

[DougW]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

With use of potions, I've not found magicka regen to be a huge issue for my not-strictly-mage-but-flame-destruction-spells-loving character.

The problem with mage-only combat that I imagine (from the outside looking in) would be maintaining enough standoff distance to cast them often enough to avoid getting your ass kicked at close quarters, unless you're using flame cloak or something. I mean, I can knock a lot of things out with fireballs & the like, but when you've got four falmers coming at you simultaneously, that's a lot of shots to try to get off before the battleaxes start chopping you into soon-to-be-respawning pieces.

What am I missing here, about pure mage combat?

I've not done it, but I play a 100% archer (don't even carry a melee) - and keeping range isn't really a problem. Even with 4 coming, at least 2 are down before they reach. Then, a shout (sprint or knockback) and I have a little distance again and can kite. Shooting on the move is pretty ez in this game, and using terrain is pretty helpful too (IE - Jump down a small dropoff, and they usually run down the ramp - soaking arrows). I actually have more trouble fighting other archers.

Plus, my follower is "tanky". So, quite often they go to him and I'm able to just pick em off.

I'd imaging magic users do the same .. burst/re-distance yourself/kite type of strategy.

[frnk55]

My Skyrim game guide just got here and holy balls! 652 pages of info. Get it if you're thinking about it. No only if I had time to play the damn game!!!

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by DougW

I've not done it, but I play a 100% archer (don't even carry a melee) - and keeping range isn't really a problem. Even with 4 coming, at least 2 are down before they reach. Then, a shout (sprint or knockback) and I have a little distance again and can kite. Shooting on the move is pretty ez in this game, and using terrain is pretty helpful too (IE - Jump down a small dropoff, and they usually run down the ramp - soaking arrows). I actually have more trouble fighting other archers.

Plus, my follower is "tanky". So, quite often they go to him and I'm able to just pick em off.

I'd imaging magic users do the same .. burst/re-distance yourself/kite type of strategy.

As a pure magic user, conjure a flame atronarch (or something more powerful) and use that to keep the baddies off you. Rinse, repeat. With high conjuration and destruction skills, the atronarch + Lydia means I never get touched, even by the bosses/dragons.

It's a bit too easy TBH, I'm level 18 and considering a restart and going with a one handed character, at least then I'll feel like I'm actually fighting stuff.

[SackAttack]

Finally made the trek to the Throat of the World. Holy crap, that's a hike.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by frnk55

My Skyrim game guide just got here and holy balls! 652 pages of info. Get it if you're thinking about it. No only if I had time to play the damn game!!!

It is quite the work. I enjoy reading about quests I have completed to see what I could have done different. Really put together well and has some nice touches, like the mini-bios of different guild members and main characters.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

Finally made the trek to the Throat of the World. Holy crap, that's a hike.

Yup. What really really sucked was that I wasn't paying attention about 2/3rds of the way there and was talking to my GF when a troll jumped out and killed my character... last time I saved? 30 mins before.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Yup. What really really sucked was that I wasn't paying attention about 2/3rds of the way there and was talking to my GF when a troll jumped out and killed my character... last time I saved? 30 mins before.

"Nothin' up there but wolves."

Two frost trolls and an ice wraith later...

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Yup. What really really sucked was that I wasn't paying attention about 2/3rds of the way there and was talking to my GF when a troll jumped out and killed my character... last time I saved? 30 mins before.

WTF, how long is the entire journey?

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by BYU 14

WTF, how long is the entire journey?

Took me about 30-45 minutes from the foot of the mountain.

[Grover]

Originally Posted by BYU 14

WTF, how long is the entire journey?

7,000 steps!

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by BYU 14

WTF, how long is the entire journey?

Originally Posted by Grover

7,000 steps!

And since the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step...

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

"Nothin' up there but wolves."

Two frost trolls and an ice wraith later...

To make matters worse, or at least more comical, I was also randomly attacked by a dragon the 2nd time up, which luckily started battling the frost troll which was just ahead of me. First dragon I've encountered since the initial one in the main quest.

[Bobble]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

To make matters worse, or at least more comical, I was also randomly attacked by a dragon the 2nd time up, which luckily started battling the frost troll which was just ahead of me. First dragon I've encountered since the initial one in the main quest.

I was attacked by a dragon on my way up the first time (step 5389 IIRC ). I didn't know if it was planned (i.e. "You're going to go learn what? No way!") or if it was random. Great game.

[JPhillips]

I had a dragon attack too. The ice trolls weren't a big deal, but I can't seem to shoot dragons until they are stopped and blanketing me with fire.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I enjoyed the Mage's College questline about as much as I've enjoyed any set I've played in Oblivion or Skyrim to date. A definite favorite thus far.

[DougW]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

I had a dragon attack too. The ice trolls weren't a big deal, but I can't seem to shoot dragons until they are stopped and blanketing me with fire.

Archery Tree, Eagle Eye + Steady Hand R2 .. "helps" me with this, but is still pretty hard when they're flying full speed.

[mckerney]

Skyrim: Naked Friday In Whiterun | Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Recently, I maxed out pickpocketing in Sykrim. The top perk for doing this is that you can even rob items that people have equipped. This includes, for some reason, their clothes. Yep: they do not notice you removing their clothes. It’s a handy way of making heavily-protected enemies a little less tough before you go in for the kill, which is about the only reason I can think it was included.

It’s also a way of humiliating an NPC populace that has absolutely no idea it’s being humiliated, and would continue to treat me politely even though I could see their nipples. My cause was clear: every single citizen of Whiterun must be stripped to their underpants. It took me one long, strange evening, but I did it. Welcome to the naked city. And they had no idea of their own nudity. Or did they? Talking to them, I started to get the funny sense they knew what was going on after all…

[Glengoyne]

ok, so Still on the outside looking in. But with Oblivion for sale for $5, I figured that I might be able to get a wee taste of Elder Scrolls that might either whet my appetite or sate my interest entirely.

How close is the character development system between the two? Will I get somewhat of a feel for how I'd like Skyrim's character elements or no? Also I gather that there are a ton of mods available for Oblivion. Are there any that are must use?

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by mckerney

Skyrim: Naked Friday In Whiterun | Rock, Paper, Shotgun

that is awesome! HAHAHAHA

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Glengoyne

ok, so Still on the outside looking in. But with Oblivion for sale for $5, I figured that I might be able to get a wee taste of Elder Scrolls that might either whet my appetite or sate my interest entirely.

How close is the character development system between the two? Will I get somewhat of a feel for how I'd like Skyrim's character elements or no? Also I gather that there are a ton of mods available for Oblivion. Are there any that are must use?

IMO, they're only superficially similar. Some of the same skills are involved in both, but several others have either been tweaked, consolidated, or eliminated and replaced with others. Mysticism as a spell type and Acrobatics were removed entirely. Blade and Blunt as weapon types were replaced with One-Handed Weapons and Two-Handed weapons, with both blades and clubs/maces/etc falling into one or the other depending on size. Mercantile and Speechcraft were combined.

So forth.

Oblivion used something similar to Fallout's 'SPECIAL' system for attributes that impacted skill growth, something that Skyrim has largely done away with. You gain perks as you level, and those perks can impact how good you are at various things, or what you have access to, but your damage-dealing with weaponry is no longer determined by a combination of ability with blades and your Strength score. Instead, it's how good you are at the chosen weapon type modifying the type of damage the weapon normally deals, adding any modifiers such as enchantments.

Oblivion had actual classes. You chose how you wanted to play the character, race and 'born under the Sign of' bonuses, and then away you went. Skyrim kept race, gave class and BUTSO the boot. You had the ability to create custom classes in Oblivion, but in Skyrim, the character evolves as a direct result of how you play. If you use magic more often, and improve your base Magicka more often when you level, you'll make a better spellcaster than someone who focuses on health and loot-carrying. If you successfully sneak around more often, you'll make a better thief. That sort of things.

Signs still exist, but it's more akin to praying at an altar - you activate the stone representing the sign you want, and you can change it later at another one.

I mean...you can see the seeds of Skyrim's character creation in Oblivion's, but they're really pretty different IMO.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

I mean...you can see the seeds of Skyrim's character creation in Oblivion's, but they're really pretty different IMO.

I would agree, the overhaul is pretty significant.

[SackAttack]

Dawnbreaker is incredibly f'in useful. That is all.

[RainMaker]

I sort of regrent not going with a character who focuses on sneak and fighting at a distance. I've been a one-handed beast and have dragon armor and fights are just not that interesting anymore. I take out dragons with ease.

[frnk55]

I'm using 4GBSKYRIM and now I'm no longer getting random crashes. Highly recommend it if you're having ctd's.
Also after 68 hours of play I found a carriage for the first time for fast travel to undiscovered towns. Crazy.

[bhlloy]

Anyone have any experience with the Tytanis mod on skyrimnexus? I'm thinking about a restart with a one-handed character (my conjurer is making things too easy although Rainmaker's post above makes me wonder) and that mod looks pretty interesting, although I'll be pissed if I get 80 hours into a game and find it completely nukes something

[JPhillips]

If you specialize, regardless of magic/bow/tank, it seems it becomes pretty easy. My sneaky bowman has become so easy I'm pouring everything into non-specialty perks to liven things up a bit.

[thesloppy]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

If you specialize, regardless of magic/bow/tank, it seems it becomes pretty easy. My sneaky bowman has become so easy I'm pouring everything into non-specialty perks to liven things up a bit.

That's kinda where I am with my dude, who is the same build.....but then again, that's kinda where I want to be. I am 50th level after all, and there are still plenty of things and/or situations that screw me up.