I've always fast traveled. It's been instilled in me by Oblivion, Fallout 3, and New Vegas - there wasn't much point in just wandering around everywhere. Yeah, sure, there were random encounters, but there weren't that many and the were hardly worth spending an extra 25 minutes staring at the flat brown terrain every time I wanted to go somewhere.

So, I've fast traveled for most of my Skyrim playtime.
That was a waste.

This game is gorgeous, littered with interesting (and unmarked!) locations, gorges, streams - obviously all hand-crafted. This is not the realm of copypastia that the previous bethesda games were. Also, the random encounters are much more varied and interesting than all of the other games, and by a large margin.

Ease up on the fast travel, is all I'm saying. Give walking a shot. It's so much better.
(I'd suggest still using it to drop off and sell loot, though.)

Well im somewhere in the middle. If im in riften and need to get to solitude then i will Fast Travel but i often got exploring in the areas that are far away from any of the large Cities.

When I need to go that far (Riften to Solitude), I will usually fast travel to somewhere in-between. Usually this means I fast travel to Whiterun, leave some items in Breezehome, sell some loot, maybe even do some random quest(s), and THEN I will walk to wherever I need to go.

But I refuse to walk all the way from one end of the map to another. It just takes TOO long. But halfway across the map? Amazing, and leaves open a LOT of possibilities for random encounters, quests, adventuring, etc.

I would like to say I'm a purist and never fast travel anywhere, but I would be lying. While initially, I fast-traveled everywhere, and then took advice from the forums and started walking everywhere, I've finally settled for something in the middle. Once I've completed a quest and need to settle up and cash in on my booty, I tend to fast travel. Also, if I"ve made the same trip overland several times, I tend to fast travel it (I hoofed it up to High Hrogarthar 3 times while enjoying the scenery but having no action whatsoever). To try to stay in character as much as possible, I use carriages to travel great distances where possible, as well.

i walk to each city the first time, it is really cool but i don't see any reason for me to rewalk someplace,

I just limit myself to never using the little taxi-wagons... ie, I walk the first time I go to any given city, but after that I usually fast-travel.

I am a no fast travel purist,mostly.
I've never used it in this game or in oblivion.
I have however used it in fallout games,simply because of the barren landscape there.
This game is just stunning.

Amen brother! Down with fast traveling! I agree. I frequently utilize the carriage system to pop around the map more quickly however.

what people need to understand is that nobody wants NO fast travel, just not instant transmission. expand the carriage system to take you to the smaller villages, and already you barely have to walk anywhere.

half the fun in a sandbox is supposed to be navigating yourself around it. TES games are built and played almost primarily to explore and discover and have fun things happen on your travels, but the current fast travel system basically defeats the purpose of the game.

if just not using fast travel greatly improves the experience... just imagine if it was properly implemented into the game.

I walk probably 99% of the time, but from time to time I'll fast travel, especially if I forgot to drop something off in town or if I'm just outside town and a dragon attacks and I need to drop off bones while doped up on Strength potions.



Yah I'm waiting on mods for a decent system. I think Morrowind had it right in terms of traversing great distances in a decent amount of time and not breaking immersion too badly (loading screens will always do that though).

I too am a convert! Though I do use fast-travel from time to time to drop off loot. The world is large, beautiful, and begging to be explored. I love that I can get side tracked in route to my destination for 3 hours by seemingly doing something and nothing at the same time. Oh look, a butterfly....

I never fast traveled. My interpretation of this game series has always been about exploration more so than every other aspect.

I only fast travel when I have to go back to a cave I have already found. I also love that I can fast travel without having to go to a carriage or go to a certain "thing" in order to go back to the cave. I have already explored almost every place in Skyrim.

I find 50/50 works for me. Cool to see new things yet I'm not a walking yoyo for the FedEX quests.

I really liked Morrowind's system. I especially liked having to create a mental map of how to get places using the different traveling networks. However, I recognize that a lot of people would consider that a waste of time that is not conducive to enjoyable game play. It takes all kinds, I suppose.

Yup, many people don't realize that the "boring fed ex quests" actually facilitate some great adventures, if you stop to investigate along the way instead of following your quest marker obsessively.

Imagine if Frodo had fast travel, how interesting LOTR would've been.

Most people who claim they never ever, would rather die first, use fast travel are telling lies.

Everyone uses fast travel from time to time... c'mon you can admit it, we all do it.

;)

He hadn't been to Mordor yet, he couldn't fast travel there.

I have a new personal rule: only fast traveling between cities, and walking whenever possible. This rule arose from fast traveling to an outdoor location and suddenly finding that my horse was caught in the crossfire between a dragon and a giant ghost mudcrab. It was hilarious to see, but distressing for my horse.

What about a coach ride?

Fast travel is most useful for getting out of cities without hearing a hundred inane NPC greetings. I fast travel to the stables to get out of every city unless I am very close to the front door.

I only fast travel if I can't carry any more stuff just to sell the crap then I'm back to walking. Walking around and finding new places/stuff is awesome in Skyrim.

Same here OP; the game is too beautiful to pass up. I only fast travel for looting and to get from one end of the map to the other like another poster here said about Riften and Solitude.

I know I must be different than a lot of people on here, but I fast travel every single time I go somewhere. I enjoy the world, and I think it's pretty, but I generally either fast travel to my exact location, or the nearest discovered location I can find. I would actually be a little annoyed if I had to walk everywhere and would take away some of the appeal, to me. But, to everyone who does not fast travel, more power to you. I would just certainly hope they never remove it from the game.