Yes, at first I was sceptical. I was screaming just like you. Then I sat down and looked at what they've done. It's actually very ingenious. You still have a "Class" you just make it as you go along, the skills you use go up, and the ones you don't, don't. It means you can be as specialised or as broad as you like, rather than limiting it to a static number.

The perks will be a lot different to the method Fallout used (if Bethesda has any sense and has been reading these boards). They won't provide new game mechanics, they'll more focus you. There's a one handed skill, so you decide to use one handed weapons. You decide you like swords more than anything else, so you choose sword perks to improve your sword combat, and become a specialist swordsman. Make sense?

if u try to spread perks evenly i doubt u'll be great at anything. so its in ur best interest to prefer certain kinds of perks. in skyrim u level up skills u use unlike fallout. so u will become w/e class u end up playing as. even if it does not have an official name there will be differences. i plan on being good at a sword and shield. and a bow. not much for magic. so my perks will mostly be related to swords and bows.

Fallout was Oblivion with guns, Skyrim is Fallout with swords. Blah, this statement is so old. Each game is unto itself fresh, while incorporating the best elements of previous Beth titles. Skyrim will improve upon the model further and will not be "a Fallout 3 medieval style game".

Poodle, I think you are mis-interpreting a few things here.

When people are talking about perks they are talking about the bonuses you recieved when you brought a skill to a certain level. Like in Oblivion, when you became a master armorer you didnt break any hammers anymore...i.e a perk; or when you became a master in heavy armour it didnt encumber you while wearing..i.e a perk. These are the types of perks I believe they are talking about bringing into Skyrim like they had in Fall-out, the difference being, once you level up you get to chose a perk. I don't believe perks affect your skill leveling they just give you bonuses. You will still level your skills by using your skills. Leveling your skills will level your character just like it did in Oblivion. Don't qoute me on this be i think they are getting rid of major and minor skills and this is why they scrapped classes. All classes did was give you pre-determined major/minor skilled characters and a magic perk. So without major/minor skills there is no need for classes. Without major skills, leveling your character will come from leveling all skills as opposed to major ones. The amount it will add to your character leveling slide depends on the level you brought the skill to...i.e. if you increased your sneak from 5 to 6 it will add less to your character leveling slide then increasing it from 50 to 51.

So it is my understanding that they will still have attributes and skills and you will level them similar to Oblivion but you will get to pick a perk everytime you level up. Which in my opinion I'd rather get the perks naturally from leveling skills like they had in oblivion as opposed to just picking them from a list everytime I level up but I cant really say that without actually playing the game.

R U kiddin me? From the very first time I played Marrowind, there was no time I'd played TES game and chose a class from the given list. I created my own one, and kept the "Adventurer" name, cos class choosing didn't make sense even with that roleplay system. I was really glad to hear that classes were removed. Anyways, I think you'll be given a dozen or two of skill points to single out your major skills on some point of the game.

And perks are GREAT thing for TES! Now, e.g if you are a swordmaster, you are good in other one-handed weapons too, not master, but good. That was not logic, when you are great in swords, but fight with axes like a 1st level char. And it makes the system much deeper than it was, maybe, even in Morrowind, while using much less skills.

That is a good point about the benefit of classes. Unfortunately, I was never good at "min maxing" my classes in Morrowind and Oblivion(although I could make killer characters in Daggerfall), so I usually just ended up with semi-useless characters. I hope the new system, where all the skills contribute to your levels, will help my play style out.

Not sure how they will handle this probably in a way like some Oblvion levelling mods. if you raise strength based skills you also raise strength. this might be done on the fly so then raising blade 2 or 3 levels you raise strength 1, might also become fancy so raising marksman 1 point gives 0.5 to agility and 0.2 to strength and similar.

Will not miss classes, always use custom classes and see them more as a way to control levelling.

Ok, so if it's like you say,...than it's ok. Mastery perks are usefull, like not breaking hammers when we are at the max level in repair...

And the no-class thing would just make all the skills level-up at the same speed?...

I think that it's hilarious how most forumites here will change stride so obsequiously whenever the developer changes a formerly beloved game mechanic. Formulate your own opinions and stop being callow sheep.

Don't know if I'm gonna miss the classes, I always made my custom class. And I don't think Skyrim will be like Fallout 3 just in a medieval age. they're just taking the good thinks from fallout and putting it in TES...it's not a bad idea to combine the 2 greatest RPG series ever.

I'm well aware the Elder Scrolls is a High Fantasy game, if you would've read my post completely you would've seen that I was responding to a fellow forum member on their views on real life and classes.

But there's no way you can tell me Imperial Culture is not in some way shape or form representation of Roman influence.

Same goes with the Nords and their seemingly Viking style demeanor.

As a matter of fact, if you check out the Art Video on GI you can see a Viking book right next to the concept artist which gives visual evidence that they're basing Skyrim on the real life designs of the past "Nordic" civilization -- whether it's being used architecturally, or for character modeling and weapon design.

Also, in Morrowind, which is in Tamriel, there is a refined caste system separating Dunmeri Nobles and commoners. I think that's evidence enough.

And Mazoga the Orc is a fine example in a Oblivion of the caste system in play.

The orc claiming she was a knight was proposterous. Until the king made her one.

Walk into any castle in Oblivion and witness the Caste system.

I didn't vote.

You want freedom to make your character? Classes limit this. Just do what you want and BANG, you get the 'class' as you use what you want.

I think so. And the higher the level is, the more it contributes to your overall level. So your 'major' skills are merely replaced by your highest skills, while your lower skills do take an effect as well, but a lesser one.

That's how I understand it.

I like the new approach Bethesda is making, the class system is a little old to be honest. Loved it in Morrowind, but I like that Bethesda has done som changes this time. I would much rather find out what kind of guy my character is later in the game, than just pick some class in the beginning.

I don't like the class system, it's restrictive.

Also, I lol'd at medieval Fallout.
So first we have Fallout: Oblivion with guns and now we have Skyrim: Fallout with swords.

Erm...someone want to help me with how that's mildly idiotic...?

Seriously why would you not pick perks?!? It's no different to the forced system before just with choice if you hack with a Sword pick a sword perk if you've done alot of stealth stuff pick a critical hit perk ect it makes sense I've done my fair share of jumping I'm yet to be able to jump any higher but last year at the beach I decided to kern to back flip, is that because I'm a skilled jumper and came naturally or is that more of a perk because I like jumping and wanted it??

You are talking about Factions/Guilds here, not classes. Classes tell others what skills you specialize in. Factions allow certain specialists privileges.
So a noble is a member of his noble family, a commoner is a member is a commoner who works in a City which is also kinda a faction. Mazoga was a knight who thesy became a member of Knights of White Stallion faction.
In other words: what you are talking about has absolutely NOTHING to do with classes.

You do realize nobles and commoners are part of the CASTE system.

Factions are something completely different. They are a choice. You cannot CHOOSE to become a Knight. You either have to be apart of a noble cast, or you have to be Knighted, like Mazoga.

Fix your facts son.

We need more details before we get upset or excited. But from what I have heard, this system might not be my mug of mead. Perks are fine. As long as the game doesn't feel like a shooter with rpg elements, I'm happy.

I don't see how this system fixes the holes in Oblivion's method of leveling. What if a character is at level 20 with an average of 50 in 5 favored skills wants to start using a skill with a score of 5? If each level requires more points than the last one, and every skill increase aids leveling, there will come a time when the level 20 PC would gain unwanted levels and have under leveled skills. Raising the skill with a score of 5 to a score of 25 would likely either raise the character one level, or give a significant amount of points to the next level, while still being too weak to rely on. Continuing to use those 5 main skills is certainly an option, but it limits the character a little too much. Of course it isn't about power leveling, but this seems to be more restrictive than the class system.

What if a character devotes themselves to a weapon skill, an armor skill (if they exist) and the smithing skill (or blocking if it exists). Wouldn't this character basically trample almost everything in her path? Dungeons are set to a certain level when the PC enters them, so if this character is also around level 20, they would be amazingly overpowered. Unless Beth forces characters to use multiple skills (warriors need most combat skills to function, mages need most magic skills), chosen skills seem to be set in stone after a certain level. And waiting until level 30 or 40 to start using weaker skills is not appealing. By that point they would be completely useless.

Being good at everything is also ridiculous, but it is more fun than being stuck with several skills. Maybe a class system with Daggerfall attribute raising? Unless there are no attributes, in which case I don't care what they do.

This is still like that. I don't see the problem. The new system will make the game more enjoyable, withouth having to micromanage your character, or decide every aspect ar the beggining.

The leveling system used in Oblivion and Morrowind with the major and minor skills and attribute increases was stupid, and i always modded it off. Since they have now reworked the leveling system, classes became obsolete. How well it works i'll know after i've played it.

Currently, i am intrigued, not apprehensive.

There were perks in Oblivion. Get to level 25/50/75/100 with any skill, and you get a little "perk" for it.

Also, I LOVE that there are no classes. This way you're not automatically restricted right out of the gate, you don't have to worry about only having 7 skills count towards your level, etc.

In a sense, classes are still in Skyrim, you just make your class yourself with the way you play the game. The higher level you are at any skill, the more XP you get for leveling that skill up. You still get XP for all other skills, just not as much as you get for having a high level skill.

I think it's absolutely brilliant and a perfect solution to many of the level up problems from Oblivion.

Never use those pre made classes. This new system sounds great. 3 less skills in name only. We are gaining more than OB, two handed weapons, Axe and Blunt separate, Mysticism spells are still there, double the perks and you can choose them compared with OB, oh ya this will be badass.

It's just that I don't want to chosable perks to work the skills and if we decide to mod them out, it penalises us...
Am still nostalgic on Morrowind...