In Oblivion the lock system was miserable, although the actual minigame wasn't bad the hard locks weren't all that hard in the long run. The skeleton key also aided in ruining the whole system. The first time I played through it took me awhile to actually find the skeleton key, by the time I got it I was already a lockpick master. However the second time I played Oblivion it was far too tempting to go over to the crappy god statue and get the key. (ruining the lockpicking mechanic, autopick, auto pick, auto pick, auto pick.) Would you like to have Skyrim share this same mechanic? I think that there should be really hard chest that poison you and even kill you if you fail. By doing this they could make some really awesome loot, hiding the chest and putting a really hard, deathly lock they could hide Umbra's sword.

I think it should be option number five.

I say keep it as it is and simply not have a skeleton key to begin with, simple as that.

Locks could do with being improved in some way, I remember reading The Thief of Virtue in Oblivion and thinking 'that's how I want it to be done'

'Entering the keep was child's play for a thief of his caliber. However, a cunning lock with no less than 13 pins protected the private quarters of the Baron. Ravius broke only 9 lockpicks to open it. Using only a fork, a bit of string, and a wineskin, he disabled the seven traps guarding the Baron's coin collection. Truly Ravius was a master among thieves.'
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Thief_of_Virtue

Maybe having some locks the skeleton key doesn't work on or something.

I didn't even bother getting the skeleton key and all the locks were still stupidly easy.
I was picking Very Hard locks and succeeding during the first hour I played the game (with probably 5 Security).

Definitely make it more difficult, and make it so that there's levels on the locks, like in Fallout. If you're a apprentice in security you shouldn't be able to pick a very hard lock. So maybe have it you can pick a lock type one tier above your security skill, but make it more difficult.

I say keep the mini game as it is and just make more difficult locks impossible to pick if you don't have the right skill level.

If they keep it the way it is, then the only tweak I would like to see is something besides all the pins following the same pattern. You always knew what the pin was going to do next, and that is why it was so easy. If each pin was individually randomized and actually got harder to raise the harder the lock it would make the game a lot more challenging.

Am I the only one that liked the fallout lockpicking better than oblivions?

I thought it was even easier than Oblivion personally. If they did it like Fallout, I would say they should do the 5 pin system like Oblivion as well. You do the same lockpicking game as Fallout, but you have to do it 1-5 times depending on lock difficulty. The harder the lock, the more pins, and the more precise you have to be.

I preferred Fallout lockpicking too, never really gotten my hand on Oblivions system after all this years.
Fallout system had two problems, one was the skill requirement to pick locks who I found pretty lame, second was that the it was no easier to open lock at lockpicking 50 and 100 you was just allowed to pick harder locks. the area to open the lock should be larger at higher skill.

The skeleton key needs to go... I'm sure Nocturnal has other artifacts. That, or it needs a limited number of uses.

I don't think there should be a chest that kills you- maybe take some of your health but leave at least 1 hp. Other than that, i say keep like oblivion. You could attempt any lock of any difficulty, unlike fallout :l

I'd rather have the system be similar to Morrowind and Daggerfall where your character's ability to pick locks was determined by his level in the lockpicking skill versus the difficulty of the lock. All I would wish is that the animation for picking a lock would be better. Instead of just "stabbing" the door with your pick, have the animation take at least several seconds and show your character actually put the pick in the lock hole and work it around, maybe put the character's other hand on the door and have him/her put his ear near the door to hear for the lock to open.

IMO the minigame ruined lockpicking as once you got the hang of it none of the locks were really challenging anymore.

Skeleton key should still be in, although overhauled, the lockpicking itself should still be a mini game like in Oblivion, but harder. And you should have a certain amount of skill before you can attempt picking higher level locks, like in Fallout.

Success based upon skill and dice rolls.

:)

This having played OOO and having to wait untill my luck stat and security were very high, otherwise I got one shot killed by a trap.
Then having this happen everytime on a blooming thief build 40+ security with the thief sign tagged ( +10 luck ).
Just got so annoying, if traps were seperate and did either lower damage or used negative drain effects or at least on most untill higher up in the game.

I hear people always saying that Oblivion's lockpicking was too easy, which it was if you knew how to do it, but people have to realize Oblivion could just be a stepping stone to truly making lockpicking difficult. In the previous games it took no player skill whatsoever, it was all dicerolls. In Oblivion they took a step in the right direction with lock picking and hopefully in Skyrim the lockpicking minigame comes back but more difficult on the hard locks and also in real time so you can't sit there forever trying to lockpick the door because a guard could walk by or the someone else might catch you.



Nocturnal does have other artifacts. Cowl of Nocturnal for one that you get from completing the thieves guild quests. Daedric princes can have any number of artifacts that may or may not be chronicled yet in the lore. Open-ended lore on things like that allow for new items all the time.

I must be the only person who could NEVER get the hang of Oblvion lock picking. I even watched YouTube videos showing exactly how to do it, and still failed most of the time. I usually relied on getting a ton of lick picks and then used auto-lockpick :confused:

I much prefered Fallout's system ,but I don't see how you'd revamp it for a medieval world

As for the skeleton key, I don't mind it being there, I just think it should be insanely hard to obtain.

I liked the Skeleton key in Morrowind, High quality with a limited number of uses.

The difficulty in Oblivion's lockpicking is fine for me, although some people never got the hang of it.
What I don't like is the skeleton key which basically removes all challenge, might as well have no lockpicking at all once you get it. Just tap the auto-attempt button until you're in.
If the skeleton key is going to be in Skyrim I really hope it's more of a trinket with a lockpicking bonus, rather than an indestructible lockpick.

Get rid of the damn mini game and make it a dice roll again. Also add lock bash.

Lock bash, yes. Dice roll, no thank you.

Just make most doors barred. Get rid of this 'Lock Requires Key' crap.

I think they should bring back traps and probes. Obviously the system could be improved from Morrowind though.

i second this.

being able to lock doors was also fun.

there's nothing like running out of probes, and defeating the hardest creatures, only to die from your greed.