Lack of motivation in Elder Scroll Games. : V - Skyrim

» Tue Jul 05, 2011 7:42 am

I've played both Morrowind and Oblivion like many people I was hooked onto the idea of an sandbox fantasy game where you could be anyone and do anything. But after playing each one extensively I realize that while you can do so much in each game, there's very little reason to do it

Does anyone else get the feeling? You can loot dungeons, join guilds, steal stuff and level up but if I was in the situation of my character I would honestly just steal an deadric sword, sell it buy a house and live a nice peaceful life. I feel that the game should incorporate some element to make a necessity to level up, loot dungeons, join guilds, do quests or you would die. Simple as that.

In Oblivion there were many random dungeons around and basically they were means of leveling and loot, but leveling just meant to game got harder and loot was only as useful as the stuff you could buy with it. But what if the player was forced to level up and become stronger and you needed money to survive (much like you do in real life).

My idea is that basically throughout the game, there's an shady organization that wants to kill you, and you must level up so you can fend of their increasingly vicious attempts at your life and money is an absolute necessity so you can afford the means to defend yourself,

Where's the fun in a peaceful life?

After selling your daedric sword and retiring to a comfortable house for a peaceful existance... you find yourself out of cash once you buy too many luxuries. Or, you see MUST HAVE SHINY luxuries... how to get cash? You could get a job, and maybe a handful of drakes a day.... or you can pick up your sword again, and go kick ass and loot bodies reeling in more than a single-ticket lottery winner.

» Tue Jul 05, 2011 3:00 pm

I felt that just experiencing what was in Morrowind and Oblivion was enough to motivate me. Seeing thing's different from reality, escaping into another world. I can't say I ever felt like I lacked motivation in either game. There again, I'm not too fond of reality so, maybe those worlds just held a different level of appeal to me than to you.

The organization idea of you constantly having to keep on your feet doesn't strike me as a good idea, but that's just my opinion. To me that sounds like everyone who plays the game would be forced to at some point play the same way and not be able to go about their own thing's without having limits in place that arn't very strict, but still exist. Talking limits, I like the idea of 'the further out you go the harder it is', but people trying to roleplay in general could find themselves interrupted, though minor it's there. Constant contradictions in this though as with the AI you do find some thing's happening before you that you had no input on which can equally interfere with people just roleplaying a life. It could also cause issues with peoples 'class' types they are choosing to play as, archers might find it harder to deal with an organization sending waves after you while a warrior might not, but that's me thinking of this organization idea as being a fixed style of challenge and not one that caters to your play style. Too many ways to look at it really to have a solid opinion.

I wasn't fond of the mercaneries that come after you in Fallout: New Vegas because more often than not I found myself not being able to deal with them because of my choice of using light firearms the majority of the time and running away only to have them slay the people I ran towards. Found myself trying to avoid open areas or purposely going out armed to the teeth after knowing they are currently in 'find mode', but that sort of thing forces peoples hand into playing a certain way otherwise they can't win or will struggle alot. Again though, an answer to this would be, "you caused trouble, you deserve the hassle".

I talk too much, I know, but I saw an opening to share my opinion on motivation in videogames and having people come seek you out pushing you to progress at the same speed as other players.

To be honest, a game reality can never outdo the real world. A games graphics and natural beauty and wonder is never more beautiful than what the real world can give you, although they are beautiful in different ways.

That said, you still need a beautiful, mystical and interesting world to be in to be able to RP. But still, in my opinion, the world itself is not enough motivation for me to play it. The biggest motivation is that I can do things I can't possibly do in real world, or experience in real world, and evolve as you can in a virtual world.

If they made a game as Skyrim, but only let you be a spectator (no-clip mode) with no ways to be a part of it, I would probably only play it for a few minutes to be amazed of how well-done it was, before I get bored and done with it.

» Tue Jul 05, 2011 12:50 pm

The idea is that you want to level up so that you can take on dragons and save Skyrim from the invasion. If you aren't motivated by the idea of being the Dovahkiin (you wouldn't be the only one) then you should make up a back-story for your character and figure out what his motivations would be and play the game based on those

» Tue Jul 05, 2011 4:57 pm

The idea is that you want to level up so that you can take on dragons and save Skyrim from the invasion. If you aren't motivated by the idea of being the Dovahkiin (you wouldn't be the only one) then you should make up a back-story for your character and figure out what his motivations would be and play the game based on those

You're missing the point. If questing and exploring doesnt help you save Skyrim, when why do it? That is the problem here.

If your only motivation to play the game is to do the main quest, then if the rest of the game (it's a sandbox game) doesnt help you achieve that goal, or help you with the main quest at all, then people might not have any motivation to do it.

» Tue Jul 05, 2011 6:07 am

I had that feeling in Oblivion, so I can definitely relate to that. I didn't have it in Morrowind, but that was because I was just so intrigued by the guilds. I never randomly walked around and cleared a dungeon just for fun, or at least very rarely. Most of the time, I just joined a guild and did the jobs, and... I don't know how Morrowind did it, but it really immersed me in the world, I instantly had places where I really liked to just hang around and see what's in store for me.
Caldera, for example, was mostly a boring and empty town. Yet whenever I got there, I had a purpose, something I needed to do there, and the town developed its own character and I started liking it. And in a similar fashion, the game always managed to introduce me to new locations and give me the feeling that it's interesting to be there, and that I should look around and see what the stories of the people living there were.

In any case, for some reason that I'm not entirely too sure about, Oblivion didn't do the same for me. I could go into detail here, but I think I'll just leave it at that - it was a cool sandbox game, but I did feel like there wasn't any purpose in what I was doing. I often found myself thinking "well I could go to town X just for a change", because there was nothing I had to do and I thought that a change of location would help. It mostly didn't.

I'm quite positive for Skyrim though. I think there will be a couple of interesting things going on. Like the civil war. I'm really looking forward to becoming an important figure in that, doing something to change the outcome and all. I just hope it will be represented properly. Riverwood felt a bit too peaceful... but then it was just a small village.

» Tue Jul 05, 2011 4:25 am

You need motivation to have fun playing a game?

:huh:

» Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:29 am

That organization you were talking about? They have a name. They're called Dragons.

» Tue Jul 05, 2011 1:13 am

"Live another life, in another world" was OBs motto. It remains the same and it's one of the reasons I love TES. If I want to go on a blood thirsty rampage (:P) I'll do it, if I want to simply go outside and go for a stroll I'll do it :shrug:

» Tue Jul 05, 2011 1:34 pm

I agree the Main Quest of Oblivion tried to inspire a sense of urgency but failed, because it was all like
Martin: "DUDE THE OBLIVION GATES ARE GONNA OPEN AND MEHRUNES DAGON WILL KILL US ALL!!! SAVE US!"
Player: "K I'm just gonna become the Gray Fox, Arch-Mage and Master of the Fighters Guild, I'll be back soon."
Martin: "Ok."

And Morrowind's quests didn't even try to make it seem urgent or important. Caius was like "k brah do some work and come back when you're ready or when you want, idc."

» Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:42 am

I agree the Main Quest of Oblivion tried to inspire a sense of urgency but failed, because it was all like
Martin: "DUDE THE OBLIVION GATES ARE GONNA OPEN AND MEHRUNES DAGON WILL KILL US ALL!!! SAVE US!"
Player: "K I'm just gonna become the Gray Fox, Arch-Mage and Master of the Fighters Guild, I'll be back soon."
Martin: "Ok."

And Morrowind's quests didn't even try to make it seem urgent or important. Caius was like "k brah do some work and come back when you're ready or when you want, idc."

Yeah.... but the prophency has already been foretold for the return of Aludin, therefore regardless of when the events predicted happen..... they will happen, it is destiny.......

» Tue Jul 05, 2011 8:50 am

I think i found the solution.
Ballance and organizations just like morrowind. In morrowind there was 3 great houses all hated each other and made a different impact on the world even tho you could not see it. I think it should have new vega's multi ending style to show what you did.
Morrowind along with 2 guilds, one assasin organization along with the thieves guild made no shortness in adventure.
In skyrim I think there should be clans you could join to substitute the great houses each one with a different purpose.1 clan to help the rebels.1 to help the empire.and 1 to try and hold power and grab land from the other 2
each clan will fight each other for a different purpose and you could join and get a stronghold like in morrowind. Each one will help its side or in the case of the one seize power of the current ruler after the war.
also bring campire clans and lycan packs into the game . and have territory wars with them.
For the guilds make it like in oblivion but you can choose to help its opposite. in oblivion you could help the fighters guild but not help the blackwood company and same with the mages guild and the necromancers.
for the thieves guild make it so you could join their competition. for the dark brother brotherhood make it so you could join their nemesis.
if you could join the college of winterhold make it so you could join a mages guild for dark mages like the necromancers. For the companions make it so you could join their nemesis.
Also it would be cool if you could choose to be in the service of a count if you helped their city enough and when you do you have to help fight the other counts.
Its all about ballance and opposites.

» Tue Jul 05, 2011 8:09 am

I've played both Morrowind and Oblivion like many people I was hooked onto the idea of an sandbox fantasy game where you could be anyone and do anything. But after playing each one extensively I realize that while you can do so much in each game, there's very little reason to do it

Does anyone else get the feeling? You can loot dungeons, join guilds, steal stuff and level up but if I was in the situation of my character I would honestly just steal an deadric sword, sell it buy a house and live a nice peaceful life. I feel that the game should incorporate some element to make a necessity to level up, loot dungeons, join guilds, do quests or you would die. Simple as that.

In Oblivion there were many random dungeons around and basically they were means of leveling and loot, but leveling just meant to game got harder and loot was only as useful as the stuff you could buy with it. But what if the player was forced to level up and become stronger and you needed money to survive (much like you do in real life).

My idea is that basically throughout the game, there's an shady organization that wants to kill you, and you must level up so you can fend of their increasingly vicious attempts at your life and money is an absolute necessity so you can afford the means to defend yourself,

While I understand your sentiment, this is true of most video games. The hook is story. TES stories dont hook you that much, so thats a concern. On the other hand, there's some people who just want to play and do all the stuff and do it at their own pace and conditions. It probably would have been a good idea for the Mythic Dawn to actively hunt you before going to Jofry...but then the sandbox part would become strained. Its a hard balance, and nobody has magical answers.