Anyone Actually Like Horses in Skyrim? : V - Skyrim

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 9:27 pm

I like to work alone. No companion or horse. I also never fast travel. I did the quest to get Frost and he was attacking an enemy which was annoying and blocking my view.

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:41 am

I like having horses in the game

I also like the fact that they are depended on.

Since the choice of horse came about in Oblivion, Skyrim just wouldn't be the same without them. Adds reality to the game.

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 5:46 am

After reading several topics about horses, it seems very few players actually use or enjoy them in Skyrim.

Is it the poor AI?

As a sneak archer, i hate how my horse charges into battle and will get in my line of sight, or give away my position. Anyone else dislike how eager horses are to engage in combat... and often die?

My opinion on this is that someone sneaking to shoot someone with an arrow would tie their horse off some distance away to avoid being detected because of it.

Is it the lackluster design or animations?

Skyrim is a beautiful game with great design elements. Horses, however, look ugly. They also move and behave unrealistically. Anyone who played RDD knows what I'm talking about. Rockstar's horses looked and behaved realistically (though they maneuvered too well at speed). I loved watching my RDD horse swat flies with his tail, graze when hungry, etc. Also, the forced 3rd person perspective is a poor design choice for players that want to stay in the 1st person perspective to enhance immersion.

Agree with you 100% here.

Is it because Skyrim's horses aren't very useful?

Horses can't maneuver over certain rocky terrain and often get caught on a small rock. This limited mobility forces the player to stick to roads, which inhibits natural exploration. No mounted combat makes wilderness encounters a more tedious process, since you have to dismount to engage. Horses also have a tendency to wander off, and we can't whistle to call them back. It's also a hassle when traveling with companions, since they can't mount a horse or even sprint.

So with all of that, does anyone still use and like/love horses in Skyrim?

I agree about mounted combat. That is a big flaw. Also, you should be able to tie your horse to a stump or something to keep it from wondering off. But about keeping horses on the trail, I cannot. One does not take one's horse off the trail except in dire circumstances.

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 12:00 pm

Is it the poor AI?

As a sneak archer, i hate how my horse charges into battle and will get in my line of sight, or give away my position. Anyone else dislike how eager horses are to engage in combat... and often die?

Is it the lackluster design or animations?

Skyrim is a beautiful game with great design elements. Horses, however, look ugly. They also move and behave unrealistically. Anyone who played RDD knows what I'm talking about. Rockstar's horses looked and behaved realistically (though they maneuvered too well at speed). I loved watching my RDD horse swat flies with his tail, graze when hungry, etc. Also, the forced 3rd person perspective is a poor design choice for players that want to stay in the 1st person perspective to enhance immersion.

Is it because Skyrim's horses aren't very useful?

Horses can't maneuver over certain rocky terrain and often get caught on a small rock. This limited mobility forces the player to stick to roads, which inhibits natural exploration. No mounted combat makes wilderness encounters a more tedious process, since you have to dismount to engage. Horses also have a tendency to wander off, and we can't whistle to call them back. It's also a hassle when traveling with companions, since they can't mount a horse or even sprint.

So with all of that, does anyone still use and like/love horses in Skyrim?

First of all, if your horse is getting in your way, then it is your own fault. I always hide my Horse in an area about a hundred yards away, before engaging in battle.

As for the animations, I play rpgs mostly for depth rather than fancy movements.

It is strange that you say horses perform poorly on rough terrain. I found it to be the exact opposite. I feel as if my character, by himself, cannot leave the road without having major impediments to his movement. When I get on a Horse, I can get the tops of mountains extremely fast.

I will agree that mounted combat should have been implemented. If any of you have ever played LoZ: Twilight Princess, then you undoubtedly know that mounted combat can be done very well.

I use horses for what they are desinged to do, and that is covering distances quickly. I have no major complaints, besides the lack of mounted combat.

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 10:14 pm

Don't use them as they die too fast. /:
Why use a Horse when you can turn into a Werewolf and run? C:

Werewolf Sprint is literally the fastest way to travel on foot. Or paw, I guess...

Werewolves WTF!!

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 10:44 pm

controls are adequate, forced third person is fine with me, actually helps me navigate better. the horse can climb just about any slope and can go just about anywhere the player can. it seems slow on horseback, but the horses regular speed seems about as quick as the players running speed with no armor.

the reasons i don't use the horse more are:

much too aggressive. ridiculously aggressive. shadowmere will run up flights of stairs to beat me to the enemy. will run up to dragons to....do what? kick it? absurd really. this is my number one reason.

much too slow to dismount. it quickly becomes tedious to try and fight. i'm ok with mount speed. would like dismount animation sped up and the ability to jump off while horse it's running (like jumping out of a car in GTA).

sometimes i just like walking.

fighting while mounted would be nice, but isn't a horse-breaker for me. would be nice to be able to at least use a bow from horseback though.

would've voted for sometimes use, but wouldn't let me vote.

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 9:19 pm

I love my horse and the breed of it. It looks like the horses around where I live, not those skinny little runt things. Beautiful beasts they are. The speed of them is also very accurate, any faster (or a constant sprint) would ruin it. If you've ever ridden these kinds of horses they captured the speed almost exact. The walking speed could use a boost though.

However I hate with a passion the 3rd person and the turn radius of it. It feels like I'm driving an old beater car.

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 9:24 pm

I don't use them because they use the same clunky, hard to manage control system that Oblivion horses did. I never played those until I found a mod that let me control them with the mouse.

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 8:16 am

I wish they would add some bags to my horse, instead of me having to load it all to my companion. I'd also love some diffrence on the horses, some a bit faster, but with lower stamina / hp. Others with a bit slower speed but more sta / hp.

Atm all are 1k and the same but looks. Ohh and stamina meter, and add a breath meter while you are at it !

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 1:45 am

I use my horse almost every time when I'm able to find it. It appears sometimes after I have hired a carriage. I'm not fast travelling so I don't know if it appear in that kind of cases. Anyway the problem why I'm not using my horse a lot is that it always walks away when I'm not riding it. It's probably going back to location where I found it. It's not a stolen horse, but I got it during the civil war when we conquered a fort from the imperial legion. Dead soldiers doesn't need horses so I was able to ride them without stealing.

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 9:13 am

Shadowmere. That's it.

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:36 am

Somewhat. Other: Forced 3rd person makes me hate them.

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 8:27 am

Ive killed 4 horses so i just gave up buying them

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 11:40 am

They look nice and make escapes from unwanted battles slightly easier.
Not using them much though - getting off to pick herbs is a pain.

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 12:05 pm

The only time I would use a horse in a TES game is if you could quickly dismount (even if the horse is moving), have your horse flee from battle, have a whistle to call your horse, and have the ability to place your horse at a stable and have it stay there until you get back on him. Basically, look at Red Dead Redemption and do that. Horses in Oblivion and Skyrim do everything in their power to hinder your character and, to be honest, the time spent on them could have been used elsewhere. Again, this is just my opinion.

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 11:12 am

I don't use it because you always have to get down to kill some wolves or bears, because I can run myself so they're not very useful.Plus every time I leave them they go away (maybe because I always find them...). But the main reason why I don't use them is because I have a bug: often when I get down of my horse he teleports and and don't find him anymore...

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 4:30 am

Shadowmere.

I barley used horses until I received him, and now I'm hooked

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 12:37 pm

There good for horsing around ohh no I didn't. They seem bit less glitchy more stable some would say

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 11:59 pm

I left Shadowmere where I got her, and she disappeared. Unlike In Oblivion she doesn't show up when I fast travel to a town. Weird. But they are useless anyway. Beth needed to add mounted combat.

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 4:10 am

Shadowmere.

I barley used horses until I received him, and now I'm hooked

That sentence could be interperated in a lot of ways

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 5:54 am

That sentence could be interperated in a lot of ways

True :whistling:

But you know what I mean :biggrin:

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 11:45 am

I did use horses for a while. After my first horse died to my own neglect, I purchased another, and no more than 10 minutes of RL time later a dragon spooked him and he jumped off a cliff. When I need to go fast I just go beast mode now.

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 9:31 am

I use them for RP reasons. Only thing i wish i could change is to be able to shoot a bow while riding a horse

I purchased my current horse because I was attacked by a dragon outside of windhelm and the horse started helping me by attacking the dragon i was like *edit* yeah i gotta buy that horse

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 8:13 pm

Horses look great and right at home in Skyrim, but they're not that reliable because you constantly have to get off them to gather and fight things. And... THEY DIE!!!!!!!!!

Edit: When they don't die... THEY RUN AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 10:11 pm

Shadowmere would be the only horse I'd use for obvious reasons. And I'm using him right now.