so i was just playing the witcher. i have always wondered what made the witcher's world stand out from other rpg worlds out there, and then it hit me. its the little details.

i hope bethesda isn't so focused on the big picture that they overlook the small details that make the difference between a so so rpg world and an believable epic fantasy world.
i'm talking about things like birds flying up when you walk by them (and just small animals in general walking around towns), environmental echo noises when your in a chapel or something, watery footprints in the mud, and more believable personal disputes between npc's.

i'm sure skyrim won't fall short on the immersive details of their npc's and interactions between them or the many many quests that will take you months to finish, but i hope the details of the world of skyrim are finer than they were in oblivion. but i'm sure we are in good hands with excellent environmental designers.
what do you think?

TL;DR Version: I hope they pay attention to details, but I think they will.

Yeah it looks a lot better than anything else that has come out lately, especially in terms of RPGs. I find myself going back to classics like FFI-X and Dragon Warrior because there are not many good RPGs out for the new consoles.

I agree 100%. One of the most-- nay-- THE most important thing for RPGs is that there are birds in the sky and fish in the waters. Thankfully, the merciful developers at BGS have confirmed that there will, indeed be fish in the waters and birds in the sky. Folks like you and I, who know what truly makes RPGs fun (critters) can rest easy.

tl;dr: :spotted owl: CONFIRMED

That's a cute owl...

But OT: I agree. It's the little details that really make a virtual world feel like the real thing. That's why Rockstar is one of my favorite game developers. Whether it's the individual bullet holes that pepper your vehicle in GTA 4, or the ability to sit down and play a game of Texas Hold'em (and then shoot everyone at the table when you bust out) in Red Dead Redemption, when R* makes a game they go that extra mile to make it feel authentic.

I think Bethesda is getting better in this regard. Oblivion was an amazing game for it's time, but it really did lack a lot of detail. Fallout 3 was a huge step forward for them, because I really noticed and appreciated all the little things they would put into the environment and NPCs. I think it's a safe bet that they won't dissapoint with Skyrim.

I have never played a game where I said "This is amazing, and so awesome...but they didnt concentrate on details".

If I did, Id slap myself for being a little, spoiled bourgeoisie princess.

Really? You've never thrown a fireball at a tree in oblivion and wonder why it didn't catch fire?

I do agree with you to an extent though. It's pointless to complain about every little detail that isn't present in a game, but it is extremely satisfying to be surprised by the little things that are there.

exactly. theres no reason to get upset over lack of detail if its a good game, but the difference between a good game and a great game could be the little details that let you say "hey thats cool".