I started from scratch for the 4th 5th time now and I haven't made it past the first dungeon...

But I'm past the restless draught and the cutter section and so far this is one of the best rpg's I've played.

But only because I decided to play it with an xbox controller on master without compass and reroll a character upon death...

So I could really recommend playing like this.

I know there are imbalances but right now I love to discover one.

I'm switching between flames until magicka's gone running backwards using the bow on long distance and maces and healing for close combat...

So far this is actually one of the most balanced rpg's I have ever witnessed, given I'm being a mage, warrior and hunter at the same time...

So I'm having a great time, but that could also be because I have a tough manual labour real life job, so there isn't much time to be a fanb0y or to complain...

But all I can say is, this game is clearly designed for an xbox controller, so take it as it is and get an xbox controller...
Just forget the xbox even exists, 15 years ago (said this before) I was happy when a game was fully optimized for my sidewinder...

Archery also feels much "realer" with an anologue knob...

I can't comprehend why someone would re-roll upon death. I mean, I know it adds a layer of realism and tension, but that'd drive me crazy...you'd never progress very far :/

Playing a game is not always about progression, it's just how you enjoy the game because no matter how far you get in a game, you can beat the game entirely and feel like it was a waste of time but you can enjoy replaying the same dungeon over and over but enjoy it more than actually beating the game.

i wonder if youll still do "dead is dead" when you manage to deal with every kind of enemy just to step into an insta-kill rune trap thats invisible under the snow...

Yep, wondering about that too

i could never do that. at least not in skyrim, maybe in a game with quite safe builds.

There's so much random crap that one-shots you in this game, even on adept. But I wonder if someone could make a Roguelike mod that speeds up the gameplay and creates a huge library of dungeons that are randomized each gameplay.

My first 30 hours were on keyboard + mouse. Then I plugged in my 360 controller.
I've been a PC gamer since the 90s, but using a controller for Skyrim is definitely the best way to play. I can't put it down.

It's nice how the inventory system actually makes sense now, but the biggest and most important change is...
I can now follow NPCs for quests without being forced to either walk too slow or run too fast. Hurray!

Once I was walking around and I died and I had no idea why or what killed me. Just one shotted to death from nothing.

it had to be a rabbit.

Dead is dead... bah.

maybe I will have to make the exception,

Dead is dead but not if it was a totally hidden trap...

Everything else is my fault, I should keep my hp 100% all the time with healing, food and potions.

But that first trap in the first dungeon is obvious, so when I ran into it (checking out the skeletons) I still restarted the game... (after the intro)

Pfffff, died again...

But it was my own fault...

The city was in reach after I completed the first dungeon quest but (forgot all the names lol) I decided to play around with a few skeletons...

They seemed like the skeletons I encountered before but had actually some frost magic spells or whatever, didn't see them because I had my back towards them when I saw my health being drained away...
One minor healing potion left I thought I could continue my fleeing... But another something in my back... And there I saw my health, relatively slowly draining away...

Mistakes:

- didn't use stamina potion.
- should never ever fight when I don't have food or potions...

Ok... So it's from scratch again :S

I will not reroll my char when I die due to an invisible trap or a totally out of the nowhere one shot...

I keep this thread as my vent journal...
At least it is not a complain/balance thread.

I cannot play anything besides DiD because I told myself I would only play DiD and it just feels like hacking when I would continue :S...

So my only complaint with the game is that I have to start over again...

Ok so now I'll decide to go for a safer tactic...

I loot everything that is worth 50 or more gold.
Gonna make some money to hire a mercenary and take her with me to the first dungeon, just to speed things up (did it 3-4 times now)

In my frenzy to collect gold I accidently sold my equipped gear, so now everyone is making remarks on how I shouldn't be running around naked, lol...

Buying every potion I can collect and happily taking every bit of food available... I'm planning to finish this game without dying now...

Ok updating my journal:

Died again

To a (suddenly very strong) frost wolf...

But again... It's my own fault, equipped to little potions and to little food... While I was climbing a mountain people had warned me about...(the quest where I have to visit the beard guys)

I said to myself: LoL... Ok I had just ONE life...

But continuing on that char felt like hacking and being a liar...
So I deleted all my save games...

I think I'm going to go wood elf again... and remember this time to use scrolls potions, powers etcetera...

Yesterday I died again...

I was very tired and I thought... Oh well, this last quest retrieving this sword for this dude (was his dad's sword)


Got decadent and thought.. Oh well... yawn... My companion and I will clean it up quickly...

I walked in first, she followed, got finished off by a two hander very quickly...

So now I know I have to watch out for two handers, I should be looking what they are swinging with and be careful with playing tired...

My new char is pretty far already so no big deal.

Pretty sure no one is asking for updates to your DiD "Adventure"

i am actually very interesting in his journal and would like to know how far he can make.

Yep, I'm interested too

Didn't die just yet now, but I'm close...

I was exploring a little because I want to discover some stuff before doing the same quests once again.

I cleared a few things with my companion and I finally stumbled across some signs that would lead towards whiterun.

3 friendly looking guys were walking by, and I thought, let's savor all the dialogue... [censored] bad idea....

The one with the nicest looking helmet said: "you don't believe in things like Talos do you?"

I could only say yes, yes, or remain silent........ I remained silent.

He supposed I was a heretic and his gang decided to kill me, wtf man. Next time I have to be careful with friendly pvssyr also.

I used my first sh1tload of potions and food to just flee.
Then I remembered my companion is of course fighting them and I decided to finish them off from afar because I knew my companion was a tank to all those bandits (I was close to making a thread: "Are companions OP?)

I hoped to burn them from a distance, but arriving there, my companion only had a small straw of health... I could only watch her die...

And of course then they went for me again... I ran away, used a ton of potions again.
I was pissed off that they killed her, and I knew some were low hp... Bow and arrow, flames, something?

Nope, I had to use more food and potions to run away, only one was chasing me this time though, but I couldn't risk restarting the game again.
You wouldn't believe how much food I had (for obvious safety reasons), and it was all gone except a very few stamina drinks, health potions and small foods..

One lonely wizard in front of a cave made me use my last potions, having no stamina potions/drinks I adopted the mindset..."play from scratch again"

Luckily he didn't chase me at all, he was bound to his cave or some wolf distracted him...
Maybe a wolf from the pack that attacked me while was running away...

3 wolfs, a few apples and carrots (or so), no stamina to flee...
Time to unsheathe my axe in a non heroic way, because finally I met some enemies I could handle...

Now I'm lost in a foresty environment... My only quest is to reach a salesman or whiterun... I wouldn't dare to explore anything right now...

I should be glad Bethesda installed regen,
I'm a nord this time and I have no sneaking specced, whatsoever...
One encounter with a higher level and it's over.

If I survive this, I'm going to have to enforce justice on those 3... I liked my companion...

I roleplay a good guy as well so I don't steal and kill for no reason, but I guess the only justice for them is killing them since I cannot call the police or throw them in jail...

I could see doing this for a little while, but how long will you keep it up? Will you finally decide to just keep a character that you like, or do you plan to play like this indefinitely?

I do think it's a cool idea because you can try out all the different races, but your character will feel very limited because you can't build up a bunch of perks. I am interested to hear more though. Can you start posting your level of death, and maybe play time. This way we can see your progress better.

Yes, I decided to play hardcoe/DiD only...

Because everytime I die it's a mistake on my part...

Except for now where I tried to keep out of a religious debate by being silent, but he deemed me a "heretic" anyway so decided to attack me, killing my, very helpful, companion...
I will most likely have to start from scratch.

I love to play like this because it makes it more intens and gives extra atmosphere whenever I encounter something dangerous/unknown...

I also want to try to play without using the map at all, since I discovered nice signs across the roads...

My highest level was level 9 wood elf, and I died because of a frost wolf... I always die due to negligence or underestimating opponents, so because of those real life flaws, I deserve to start over again...

I play with a Nord now and I think it will be a lot "easier" than with a wood elf.
I plan to finish the game without dying...

I use this thread as a journal of deaths (and near deaths) because I think the advice to play with a controller and without compass, is worthy to be bumped sometimes.

Plus, at least it is a positive thread title on the front page for 40 seconds...

Keep it up. It's interesting.

Companions are a big help, and summons would be also. You COULD even summon a familiar or something in front of you where you suspect hidden traps, and let them trigger it before you're in range. I do this when I spot a run trap ahead of me. The other traps are easy to trigger and/or avoid without damage if you're smart and quick.

I would work up alchemy reasonably (balanced with some fighting skills though, or you will level up your opponents too much) quickly. Food becomes worthless pretty fast. At level 9 I think you should be moving away from food as the weight to healing ratio gets pretty bad when compared to decent potions. You can harvest your own potion materials in fairly safe areas too.

You're gonna tempt me into trying this.

I admire you greatly. This is something I will have to try at some point. I thought I was hardcoe with no quest markers, fast travel or compass, but you sir are having the real skyrim experience.

Xbox controller? No thanks. I don't care if it's optimized for it, mouse and keyboard is how I play.

I haven't tried turning off the compass yet, but I don't fast travel on my current (2nd) playthrough.

DiD might be something for me to try later, but I haven't even tried Mage yet at all and this is my first assassin, I'd like to at least learn to play the different styles somewhat before I try DiD or I'll be stressing way to much from the many restarts due to inexperience with a build.

I have just bookmarked your "Adventures" thread into my Android phone. Keep this up, I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I'm at work right now, repairing a client's server. I'm currently waiting on some stuff to copy, and ran across this. You have made my time here a little more bearable.

Also, I agree with the person earlier who asked if you could post your levels during your progression? Good luck!

I couldn't do that, i'd die way too fast >.<