The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

[Flabio]

I still fail to understand how potentially fixing some graphical glitches results in the exclusion of all magical resistances in the game.

If that was the only thing the first patch claimed to be fixing, I'd agree with you.

But there were at least 12 other things in the patch notes, and as any coder will tell you, changing one thing can break dozens of others. Often things that can seem unconnected. And the larger and more complex the project, the higher the risk of changing anything becomes.

It's why most games ship with small glitches. Fix the glitch and you might break something fundamental.

As they seem to have discovered to their cost. There was a quote from them last week saying something like 'we've learned we need to be more careful with our patches', and I suspect that this is console inexperience at work. With the PC you don't have to go through any process to put out a new patch, so mistakes can be corrected in days, or hours. On the consoles you have to put every patch through certification, which at minimum takes a week.

[QualityChimp]

I'm currently playing Oblivion and I'm scared to talk to people. If I do, they'll usually tell me somebody has stolen their heirloom, there's a strange smell coming from a neighbour's basement or I need to fetch some cabbages to please their god.

Is Skyrim like that?

Also, what's this malarky about the game will last forever? Does that mean dungeons will refill or NPCs will come up with new quests?

Part of the fun for me at the moment is riding everywhere and discovering new places, is there still that sense of discovery in Skyrim?

[MartyG]

Skyrim is Oblivion++ the games are quite similar, but Skyrim expands on pretty much everything. I've discovered well over 250 locations now, and I still haven't uncovered everything.

When you complete certain guild quest lines, there are random missions to do. For example, The Dark Brotherhood will continue to give you assassination missions each time you talk to mother and there are enough dungeons to raid to keep you busy. It gets to the point that there's nothing new to do though, but it'll take a while to get there.

[Golgo]

@Flabio: v interesting to hear your industry insider view, but can you explain what is the point of platform holders 'certifying' every fix, when many end up not working? Is it just to check that the patch doesn't brick the console or something?

[Supergoal]

Any mofo who hasn't bought the game shouldn't consider doing so, they should actually just go and buy it. Apart from it being totally epic, it's also a bloody good game. I haven't played it as long as some here have (about 30+ hours) but I've had hardly any bugs or crashes(PC version).

For you dataDave, your street fighter skills might take a dive, so perhaps with that in mind, not buying the game could be a blessing. Otherwise get it. Game of the year without question.

[Charlie]

I was thinking of getting this today but I'be had enough of broken games that require patches...

Personally I wouldn't bother. Not because the game is broken and riddled with bugs and glitches (it's really not too bad in that respect) but because the game does so little new. It really is just Oblivion with new locations and a fresh lick of paint, just Oblivion with the same old issues. An unimaginative and tedious experience in a world where the only beauty and character and charm is found in the landscape because every f*cker (whether friend or foe) you bump into is so painfully dull that you can't force yourself to care about what it is they are saying and consequently can't force yourself to care about the quests or story.

At the end of the day the fact it does so little new to further the series and so little to address old issues means it's rather a pointless game. I adored Oblivion and spent some 250 hours playing it, but that was five and a half years ago. Gaming's come a long way since then. Too bad The Elder Scrolls hasn't.

[Flabio]

Gaming's come a long way since then.

I really wish this was true.

[PeteJ]

I feel Skyrim is miles ahead of Oblivion in almost every regard, it's a far, far better title. In some ways it lags behind other titles in the genre, namely melee combat and voice acting, but the sense of adventure is pretty much second to none. 60 hours in and I still love the dungeon design, this far into Oblivion and I was avoiding quests that sent me underground.

I hope they do a Shivering Isle-style expansion which gives the game a much needed sense of humour though. It is a little too serious, just imagine how good it would be with Fable's writing and voicework

I'm still running on the launch-day patch and it's fine, so glad I keep picking to not update! I am finding the load times are getting longer though.

[MartyG]

I hope they do a Shivering Isle-style expansion which gives the game a much needed sense of humour though.

A certain quest ...

->Open Spoiler<-

has you meet up with the Daedric Prince of Madness, Sheogorath in Skyrim

so look out for it.

[Flabio]

I get the feeling that the DLC for this is going to end up being of the same scope as Shivering Isles for some reason.

[Charlie]

I hope they do a Shivering Isle-style expansion which gives the game a much needed sense of humour though. It is a little too serious, just imagine how good it would be with Fable's writing and voicework

Yeah, it does take itself rather too seriously, the irony being the voice talent is so agonisingly bad that it's impossible to take anyone you come across seriously. I don't know how much games like this cost to make but, given the popularity of the series and sales so far, I'm pretty sure it will make millions in profit for Bethesda, and with that in mind it's unforgiveable Bethesda didn't spend a little (or even a lot) more on decent actors, and a much wider cast of actors, and actors we haven't already heard in Oblivion.

[Plough Boy]

I get the feeling that the DLC for this is going to end up being of the same scope as Shivering Isles for some reason.

I really hope it isn't. I'm probably the only one but I really disliked Shivering Isles. I only finished it for completion. I'd loved Oblivion but found the expansion a real chore.
So far I'm loving Skyrim too. So much to do. So much to see.

[MartyG]

Given that there's allegedly the whole of Tamriel mapped in the game, there's massive scope for DLC in Skyrim. Retreading Shivering Isles again wouldn't be my first choice.

[Flabio]

I meant more in terms of how *big* the DLC would be rather than specifically being another trip to the Oblivion plane of madness.

[MartyG]

That was more indirectly a reply to Pete. I'd really like to see some DLC based around Morrowind or Cyrodiil - with such an expansive game world there's a lot of different lore to choose from.