I read this article previously and didn't even pick up on it, but there is a mention of using soul gems to create new spells

http://www.g4tv.com/games/xbox-360/64714/the-elder-scrolls-5-skyrim/articles/74303/the-elder-scrolls-5-skyrim-first-look-preview-part-3-dungeon-crawling-puzzle-solving-and-dragon-slaying/

Woot, good find.

Holy crap, I read this earlier and also didn't pick up on it.

Nice!

Hmmm...I hope you are right! Sounds kinda vague though. Soul gems have always been used to create new spells...on weapons.

SOMEONE TELL XARNAC NOW

EDIT: or maybe not... darn

I wouldn't really call that a spell. I certainly hope Todd Howard wouldn't either whenever he did that demo for the journalist.

He doesn't really seem like he knows what he is talking about in that passage, so I don't think this means anything.

We pick up a soul gem here, which can be used to power up spells or create new ones. We didn’t get to see how this actually plays out, so sorry magic lovers. You’ll have to wait a little bit longer to find out more about this particular feature.

You would not call that a spell. I would not call that a spell. A journalist who misunderstood Todd might would though.

I'm extremely skeptical here. Where does Bethesda say this?

I lol'd


I wouldn't jump the gun right now, G4 isn't exactly the bastion of intellectual minds in gaming. It could have been a misunderstanding, because as far as we've always known, soulgems are used only for enchanting (Though using soulgems for Spellmaking would be pretty interesting).

Its not necessarily confirmed. "Create new spells" could simply mean that you make certain pre-fabricated spells more powerful or something similar to that.

Until we actually here it spelled out in detail, we really don't know. In fact, I'd have to say that magic is currently the least understood of all the systems.

There are three possible explanations:

1. Todd or whoever was doing the demo explained what the soul gem was used for when he picked it up. The dev told the journalist in Skyrim soul gems can be used to power up spells or create new ones, but didn't show them actually powering up or creating a new spell during the demo. Clearly this means soul gems are used in a new way in Skyrim.

2. The dev did not explain anything about the soul gem and the journalist completely made up the part about using soul gems to power up spells (not possible in Oblivion) and create new ones (not possible in Oblivion).

3. The dev told the journalist that soul gems can be used to power up spells or create new ones and the dev was wrong.

I'd like to just point out to you guys, forget about levitate. if cities are like they were in Oblivion and particularly NV, theres no way you can levitate and walk into them. it would be like getting under Orgrimmar in classic WoW. Lazy programming.

So lets discuss what that would mean, using a soul gem to create a spell. Does it make more sense than just paying a sum in gold to instantly create a spell? Would we still need an altar?

BTW this journalist is on Twitter - if anyone has a Twitter account, you can ask him directly for a clarification:

http://twitter.com/#!/jakegaskill

spell creation was in oblivion. it was only possible if you finished the mages guild i believe.

Maybe I didn't explain myself clearly.

The part that was not possible in Oblivion was

• using a soul gem to power up a spell or
  
• using a soul gem to create a new spell

For the journalist to completely make that up is certainly possible but it seems like he would have a fanciful imagination.

And of course spell creation was possible in Oblivion, that's why so many people were kind of worried that it would be gone from Skyrim. If there was never any spell creation in previous TES games, I don't think we would have so many threads on here asking about it.

Actually all you had to do was finish the recomendation quests to gain access to Arcane University.

yep, or get the Mages Tower DLC.

Yep or that

Soul Gem plus parchment equals scroll maybe? Then spellmaking would not only tied to a skill and reigned under control with the paper burning up after use, but it could mean mages could make spells where ever they had the tools - hopefully soul gems can be used on the spot like the Enchanting Orbs you got from Oblivion Towers...

could be very interesting if the process of making new spells involves material components.

I have no idea what to expect. At least this mention of soul gems also suggests the return of...

UMBRA!

Hmm, maybe we will be able to create spell tomes for use or sale.

...well idk how spell tomes work "realistically"... are they just words you read and learn a spell from, or do you think it is some sort of magical book of runes that only people with an understanding of magic could use? If it is the latter, then making spell tomes would be cool if they need things like Soul Gems, Paper, Ink, and stuff like Fire Salts (for fire spells)

Oh yeah! And hopefully it has a nice new Nordic look to it!

Umbra has always been a bladed weapon right? Maybe it could change from being 1 handed or 2 handed based on your skill level though