I finally got my copy of Game Informer, and the part that has me the most intrigued currently is how they describe the menu system. I'll quote lightly and paraphrase to avoid breaking any forum rules:

"One of our goals was, What if Apple made a fantasy game?"

They described it as such. You tap the "menu button", and the four compass directions pop up in front of your eyes. Each direction corresponds to skills, inventory, map, and magic.

Press up, and you'll look at the sky, your skills and abilities mapped out for you in the very stars.

Press down, and you'll look at the ground. The view will then pull backward, revealing a birds eye view of Skyrim. This is your map.

They didn't divulge as much information on either the inventory or magic selection menus. I'm less concerned with how we'll choose our spells, as I am inventory. Here's what I read:

Each item is "well organized" as it is explained. You can apparently view each inventory item in three dimensions, rotating and zooming to your hearts content. A little blurb on inventory also suggested that a player "paused outside of town to rearrange their equipment."

So gone are the endless lists we've all grown to used to. Beth seems to be trying to keep us firmly grounded in the world, even when navigating menus. Also, no mention of repair or alchemy menus were mentioned. I'll speculate:

To repair or perform alchemy, you must visit a smithy, or alchemy workstation. Here, the same mentality is carried forward, keeping you firmly in the world, and foregoing menus for a more transparent approach to creating or fixing things. You'll probably be able to see yourself working on this stuff from a first person view as you hammer, crush, mix, cook, and other fun little tasks. Interestingly, no more magic fix-everything hammers that you can use in seconds in the middle of nowhere, and no more setting up your alchemy supplies on the nearest rock to brew a few impromptu potions.

Inventory will possibly be portrayed as a kind of magic, invisible inventory bag that appears when you pull it out of some hidden pocket in your armor. (It didn't seem like any character in the game was wearing backpacks.) From this bag, you may select from a number of item categories, and each category will divide up into sub-categories. Navigation will be quick, and decidedly un-RPG-menu like. Imagine browsing genres, artists, albums, and songs on your I-Pod, and you'll have a pretty good idea.

When you aren't very good at repairing, and you have the Smith do it for you, the Smith will probably make small talk with you as he works. It won't so much be "tink tink tink done" and you're off. He'll take your stuff, then go to the forge while you watch, and he'll tell you about the virtues of keeping your equipment well maintained, how his day was, and how he saw a mudcrab the other day and what horrible creatures they are. While he does this, you can poke around his wares and check out the architecture. Finally, he'll be finished and return your equipment to you.

This is all personal speculation. It interests me because in a game like this, quite a bit of time is spent poking around these menus, and if not done correctly, it can really ruin things.

Thoughts? Opinions? Divulge them please.

I really look forward to seeing the new menus in action, and I really hope we get more info on the inventory system soon! There is a lot of room for improvement, in my opinion, since previously the inventory system just seemed bulky and tedious after you got involved in the game for awhile. I do agree, that if not done correctly, it could mess things up. An overly complicated menu / inventory system, would just bog down the game. Too simple of a system, and you spend hours digging through your inventory.

Maybe some video preview- gameplay wil help those in dubt of buyin' it or not

OP is right on the money I think. That system would be good and it would make towns and settlements more useful .

The last bit would have me concerned if it were implemented.

There definately better be interesting stuff to look at in his smitty.
Because after awhile his dialogue will become dried, and overplayed and the wait at first immersive will just be a skipping record.


But I love the "organic feel" that Beth is going for in their menus. Though I will miss the whole parchment map, I think I'm inferring: Will we will actually be looking at Skyrim or will it fade to a paper map like representation after it zooms out onto the worldview?