There was 4 bookshops in Oblivion, but I never used any of them even once. I know they can be good if you're interested in lore, but for when you're just playing, there's no reason to have them there. I was thinking maybe they could create guide-to-skyrim style books such as Bestiaries, atlases and alchemical information books to help your character know what and where things are when out in the wilderness. Identify weaknesses and strengths of a monster you've discovered, as well as some interesting info, figure out where to find that elusive ingredient needed to complete your potion, or find out what nearby towns have useful services. And these would all be in several volumes each to fill out the bookstore.

What do you think?

Yes definitely, books had no use and with ingredients for potions and things would really help a lot, especially as I never really tried alchemy because I couldn't be bothered to find out about all the ingredients etc

I love that idea, I like to collect in game books (so I did use the book stores!) and those would be a nice addition to any collection as well as being useful.

I would like books to be actually helpfull instead of just being there for lore and laughs

Yes. They should have a bigger impact on the game. Everything from maps to spell tomes to general information like how to effectively use Magicka and other useful survival tips. All of it should be written like a character wrote it though, none of the 4th wall breaking (although comical), "Snake, you can connect to me at anytime by going into the Start menu."

Also, more new books and bring back some of the old ones.

Books and bookstores could be useful. I would hope that some clues to quests would involve finding information from maps and books from stores and found in game during adventuring.

Very good idea ! :thumbsup:

More useful :read: in Skyrim !!!

I agree with most of your post except for this part. You could say the same exact thing for many other things besides bookstores. If nothing more, it's there for atmosphere.

I absolutely do not wish to see atrocities like the 'manual of armour' ever again, wich called orcish a metal :/
I am a fan of ultra thick and comprehensive manual booklets that come with the game.
Im absolutely not a fan of manuals that have nothing more than the button config and I despise in-game books that every NPC has in their house, wich tell you things that should be in the manual.

There are a few small exceptions. A book that gives details what artifacts the game has, such as the one by Yagrum is nifty, especially since it was written in a lore-friendly way by a plausible author. It took me some time to realise all artifacts in there were actually obtainable.

But absolutely no in-game books that are a placebo for a poor manual.

Yeah, that's fair enough, though it would still be nice to have them a bit more useful. Though with the sparsely shopped cities, it was a bit annoying when you just hada general store, a smith and a bookstore when you could have had something more useful. But I get your point. I'd like a few more shops in general.

Well, I don't want any books being wrong, but I don't see why the manual has to include everything and leave it out of books. They should make the experience more interesting and teach you about the world.

I would love this. Really fun idea.

But that is what the books already do.
The majority of lore in TES games is in the books. Its like a whole deeper layer of immersion, totally optional.
Read some discussions on the lore section, if you have always just played the game and ignored the books it will be boggling.

The books in the games have always provided a fun distraction, there are novels, history books, books on religion etc, it is what gives the world a great deal of its depth.
I think having books be of a direct relevance to the player would break the fourth wall, make you realise that this world is there just for you, instead of providing verisimilitude.

I suppose in the end I wouldnt mind much, but only as long as it doesnt mean it reduces the number of books about lore.

I don't see why it would break the fourth wall. I mean the bestiary wouldn't say:

Frost spider (2): Weakness 10% to fire, 160 health, located in Snowy area C

It would be more like:

The great frost spider is found deep in the mountains to the Northwest of Windhelm, hiding in carefully carved holes in the ice. Many adventurers have found themselves caught in the beasts trap, thoughtlessly assuming it to be an ice-cave. They are some of the most dangerous spiders found in allof Skyrim, and should be avoided at all costs, but if you do come across them, there is one weakness they possess. They appear to be particularly affected by fire, perhaps due to being unsuited to handling any sort of heat in their frozen enviuronment.

I svck at writing but you get the point.

Yes, because bestiaries and alchemical catalogs are only useful to the Dovahkiin and not to, say, a hunter or mage.

Books like "How to Use Dragonshouts" or "Managing Perks" are stupid. Something that masquerades as a scholarly read for the common populace fits perfectly into the game world. There can be a book that teaches a little about perks, but it would have to be a "Guide to Constellations and Their Meaning" sort of things and not tell the player directly what each one does for them and which buttons to press to get them.

And I don't see how doing this in addition to a paper guide would hurt anything. Let alone the number of lore books. After all, weren't half the books in Oblivion just copies of ones from Morrowind?

There were books in both Morrowind and Oblivion which required you find copies of books.

In addition, some of us collect them to fill our book shelves in our homes (in game) or strongholds. It's sometimes quite a fun aside.

I like to collect all sorts of things in TES. Fishing poles, fat lutes, crystal balls....just things to decorate my house.

edit: Oh, I almost forgot. In MW I used to use them to walk across lava on.

I've thought of this too, many months ago. Creature desription books, spell school and effect books, etc etc etc. Yes please.

Lava walking books? What were they made of!?

Things like that would be awesome. Yes, I see your point.
Books like that would be a valuable addition.

Can't said but you could throw them upon the lava, they would lay there and you could walk across them without losing health. I'm sure it wasn't meant to be but it worked.

And who remembers pillow forts. Everyone made them.

That's exactly the sort of thing I like to see in game - travel guides, bestiaries etc. written along those lines.

It all adds flavour and doesn't have to replace a physical game manual. And it's not unrealistic either - I have bookshelves full of travel guides, books about native flora and fauna and how to identify them, a couple of rather nice atlases, etc. etc. etc. That's really all we're talking about here.

I think this is a great idea. :thumbsup:

It'd be cool, if some books gave directions to dungeons that would be near impossible to find unless you've read the books. Or that initiate their own quests.

Here ya go :]

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?act=findpost&pid=1

Im' definitely opposed to in-game books that break the 'fourth wall' or are just a cheap attempt to avoid the need for a manual. I hated it when Oblivion mods added books or scrolls that did this.

But, so long as they are well written, with proper respect to the lore and the stylistic conventions of the game, then I think it would be fun to find books with spellcasting hints, practical tips on combat, suggested locations to visit, alchemical recipes and so on.

I just need mah lusty argonian made :3