A hint of respect for Your Archmage, and true authority for : V - Skyrim

» Sun May 15, 2011 1:20 pm

The game has obvious limitations. And some of them are only reasonable. Do you really think you could finish up some of these main quests in the matter of days to weeks in which we so often do? If any of the quests really took months to years to accomplish, very few people would actually appreciate it. It would detract far too much from their actuall lives, place too great a demand upon them, etc. The notion that guild mastery should be as involved and elongated as such a thing might be in one's actual life is like suggesting that a film actually last the length of time it would take for the events in it to unfold.

So you're saying all you really need is a reasonable timescale like Daggerfall? Heck yeah, do it like Daggerfall. You don't get to be the guild leader, and do you know why? Because that's idiotic. This is a guild we're talking about, not your brother's landscaping business.

» Sun May 15, 2011 7:30 am

Am I the only Archmage who was a little offended that when I returned to the Arcane University and spoke with virtually any of the mages, the re-acted to their Archmage as though he were some special needs village idiot charitably hired to wipe the bums and clean the chamber pots of the resident mages? Even Apprentices talked about how they had to study and had no time to talk. . . an Apprentice telling The Archmage of Cyrodil, "no time for your foolishness buddy?" WTF. Who else was annoyed that people like Carahil kept talking about what a great archmage Hannibal Travern was. . . despite his being already long dead and superceded as Archmage by YOU?!

I sincerely hope Skyrim does a much better job of making The Archmage, and all the guild masters, feel a little more consequential than nominal figureheads. Generally, even the least powerful figurehead is at least treated with general respect, not essentially told to bugger off by low ranking members of their own organization.

Yes.

It would be cool to be able to change rules and actually do something after becoming a guild master. Hopefully Bethesda implements something like that.

Yes.

I would like it if some faction members had physical reactions when they see you as the guildmaster. Like if the Imperial Legion or the Rebels would straighten their posture and salute you whenever you walked by.

And yes.

» Sun May 15, 2011 9:57 am

I'd rather be Master of The Mages Guild than Dovakhim, so I certainly hope they don't go robbing us of this OPTION. If you don't wish to master a guild, don't do so, but many of us enjoy it rather well. When you save a guild from destruction, and become powerful enough to overwhelm half its members in a single night. . . I think that gives you a certain amount of leverage.

From the lore we have available now, the mages guild no longer exists. So you're out of luck on that one, although I know what you meant.

As far as I know, Oblivion is the only game in TES series that allowed you to become the leader of the guilds, and it really didn't work out that well; feeling hollow and awkward, as you've mentioned. And as far as any mages guild goes, I feel seniority should be a major deciding factor in rank.

If Beth still has us become leader of the guild, and implements it extremely well, I will eat my words. But the system needs to be improved considerably, or else I feel just not included. I'd rather be on the elder council and have it feel right, than be the head of the guild and feel awkward

Also, in Oblivion, the leaders of the guilds leaving felt contrived in every questline except for the Thieves Guild. If you were to become leader of the guild, I think it should have more drama/weight to it than Trajan saying "It's not safe to go alone. Take this. *soul trap on self*"

I apologize for how this post is disjointed. I'm too tired right now to post a really coherent message. I'll post this for now and write a more adequate response tomorrow.

» Sun May 15, 2011 7:31 pm

I was annoyed when after about 2 years of being Archmage, when I walk into the Arcane university, the Battlemages say "Ah, if it isn't the Arcane Universities newest addition"
Also, on the subject of Apprentices, when I talked to them they said "What can I do for you Archmage" I don't know why yours didn't...

» Sun May 15, 2011 8:21 am

From the lore we have available now, the mages guild no longer exists. So you're out of luck on that one, although I know what you meant.

As far as I know, Oblivion is the only game in TES series that allowed you to become the leader of the guilds, and it really didn't work out that well; feeling hollow and awkward, as you've mentioned. And as far as any mages guild goes, I feel seniority should be a major deciding factor in rank.

If Beth still has us become leader of the guild, and implements it extremely well, I will eat my words. But the system needs to be improved considerably, or else I feel just not included. I'd rather be on the elder council and have it feel right, than be the head of the guild and feel awkward

Also, in Oblivion, the leaders of the guilds leaving felt contrived in every questline except for the Thieves Guild. If you were to become leader of the guild, I think it should have more drama/weight to it than Trajan saying "It's not safe to go alone. Take this. *soul trap on self*"

I apologize for how this post is disjointed. I'm too tired right now to post a really coherent message. I'll post this for now and write a more adequate response tomorrow.

in Morrowind i remeber i accidently was made the arch mage i was mabey 4-5 ranks from the top and the arch mage challenged me to a duel all that was left was to kill him.... with my spear...

» Sun May 15, 2011 6:20 pm

Eh? Are you really serious? I can complete the whole mages guild in 2 days, and have done... o.O

But yes, on topic, I would like to see more respect given to guildmasters. Though I think DB did it very well. "Dear Listener you honor us with your presence..." blah blah...

Talking about in-game days. Fast travel and waiting included.

» Sun May 15, 2011 10:45 am

"Ah! You must be the Arcane University's newest addition! This humble battlemage bids you welcome!"

While that was cool the first time I heard it as a measly apprentice newly entered to the university...it was utterly disrespectful and downright ridiculous to hear this phrase as the freakin' Archmage of the Mages' Guild.

» Sun May 15, 2011 9:33 am

With all due respect Archmage, I've been in this guild since I was eleven, yet you come along and achieve our most coveted position in mere days. Heres the deal, I'll acknowledge your position, but would you kindly [censored] off; I've got research to do.

Seems like a more likely reaction than the ones people seem to have been hoping for. And on the one play through in which I actually became the Arch Mage I felt that it was entirely too easy to achieve and that I actually didn't really deserve the position. So the "Kindly sod off" reactions were entirely realistic imho. I don't know if the Mages Guild will be in Skyrim (If I recall rightly, the guild lost a lot of its respectability and power by Skyrim's time according to The Infernal City) but I can't imagine the position of Arch Mage will be in high regard (especially in a region like Skyrim, where the locals are dismissive of Mages at best).

» Sun May 15, 2011 6:53 pm

So you're saying all you really need is a reasonable timescale like Daggerfall? Heck yeah, do it like Daggerfall. You don't get to be the guild leader, and do you know why? Because that's idiotic. This is a guild we're talking about, not your brother's landscaping business.

No need to be obnoxious. It is no more idiotic than a host of the other timescales and quests in the games. The notion of the main quest being completed on the alloted timescale might be deemed idiotic. If you become a champion of a given guild, achieving feats that no others have managed, and furthermore become more powerful than any other member in the guild. . . guild mastery should remain an option, and if it is an option, and if it can be achieved, then it should not come across as a joke in bad taste once accomplished.

If you don't like being guild head, don't play that sidequest, or at least don't complete it. Tis simple enough.