How do you play? Tell me the little things you do that let you play the game for so long without boredom. I'm not saying I'm bored, or nearly finished the game, but 140 hours in I'm starting to see how maybe double this time or a bit less than that from now I'll be pretty near done everything.

Do you walk everywhere and make all trips manually? Do you stop to eat and feed your horse and sleep at night? I'm interested how once can put so many hours into the game, cleansed the world of all problems, and not feel bored. I'm not there yet myself but...

Periodically leaving the game and coming back to it at differing intervals so that it stays fresh.

That said, I have no idea how much time I've put I to it, but across eight playthroughs, they all have 30+ hours, with several being well into the hundreds. So I'm pretty sure I've passed 1000.

Roleplay, no fast travel. This is key. Also finding a character you really like, and giving them a good background.

Trying different builds and playstyles is a great way. I don't like making characters that do everything, and get everything (I have one thats a completionist, but that's it). Also adding what Colonel said to that, RP will give you hundreds of hours of extra play time.

I don't know if ive hit 1,000 hours, but im mot even close to exhausted.

QFT If you can't give your character character, and don't feel attached to/like them, you won't enjoy the game nearly as much. Playing by a set of rules and morals (that aren't your own, but your character's) makes the whole experience feel realer, more personal, and more like an actual story rather than a blank prisoner running around killing Dragons and looting dungeons.

At 140 hours, I was barely 1/3rd of the way thought the main quest on my 1st play through.

To answer your question. I would say try roleplaying...

I simply roleplay and do not fast travel unless it's going up to High Hrothgar. I usually either walk (not run), or ride a horse (not sprint / run the horse) from place to place. I take on one task / quest at a time. If I finish a quest in one game day (ie: sunrise to sunset), I'll call it a day and move on to the next day. Otherwise I'll set up camp or head to an inn and finish it the next day. I reserve one or two in-game days out of the week for R&R and / or worship a God of my character's choice.

TES games were not made to blast through the content as if it were a race. It's up to the individual player on how they want to play them, but this series of games are designed to explore the game world and soak in the lore that they're built upon.

Pretty much all there is too it.

You need to be able to connect with the world on an entirely different level than what some would call "Casuals". This is usually done by making specific rules for your character that you try to follow through your play.

One of my big rules is that I cannot go to a location if I do not have an in-character reason to visit it. For example at the beginning of the game, there's no real reason to visit Riften given to the character, the same goes for Markarth. I know it sounds weird, but the feeling of omnipotence that comes with "Going anywhere for no reason" really svcks me out of the game. (EDIT): I felt the need to point out that actually seeing an interesting ruin, structure or cave is adaquate reason, for example if you're traveling on the road to Dawnstar, you're not going to pretend Fort Dunstad or the Weynon Stones don't exist.

In Skyrim, this is a little harsh because at the start of the game, you only have three real options if you follow this rule. Whiterun, Solitude or Windhelm. If you ask about magic you can put Winterhold on that list too, but then you're kind of stuck in the Military campaign or MQ. This is kind of what I mean about how Morrowind had better structure pacing. At the start, you're told to go to Balmora and Visit Caius, but in the Case of Morrowind the MQ encourages you to stem out to the various guilds which makes an RP Rule like this a lot more flexible. The idea that the first couple "Main Quests" should acclimate the player to the world seems to have been born and died at Morrowind. With Oblivion and Skyrim they just trigger the end of the world and push you out of a cave. (Fallout 3 did it too, but it was thematically appropriate)

Role-playing is something that comes very naturally to some, but it really takes work and patience for others. It's still fun for me but I have to work at it. It's difficult for me to infuse a game character with a part of my personality. Disturbingly, I find it easier to relate with my evil builds. I don't even want to begin psycho-anolyzing that!

As stated above, RP'n is a really good way to keep interest in the game. My current character, a viking warrior, is forbidden from using any magic, brewing anything or enchantments. He can use potions that are found but cannot make them. Enchanted weapons are a big no for this character. Using a shield and war axe is how my characters rolls. Just creating a back story alone can cause hours of fun.

Make a new character, but don't set out to chase down all the achievements, do every single quest, or join every faction. Think about who your character is, and why he is in Skyrim (aside from the obvious reason at Helgen) Make a background story in your mind for him/her. Who were his parents, where was he born, how was he raised, that sort of thing. Then just explore the towns, cities, and wilderness. Climb mountains and delve into caves. There is so much to be found, that even at approx. 3000 hours, I still find things that are new to me. Play a different type of character. If you're used to fighter types, play a magic user or thief. There are many varieties of character you can play, start one and stay within the parameters of that particular type. All of the above comments are good too.

This - which for me includes sleep at nicht, change clothes when appropriate, stop to have a bath every now and then, and eat regularly (cooked food, of course!). These days, I "cheat" a little with FT due to less time to play, but I try to at least only FT between settlements (pretend that there IS a carriage that would drive me from Dawnstar and so on).


...And this. None of my characters do everything. In general, they do 1-3 questlines and a whole bunch of sidequests that suits them, and it always takes a lot longer than I expect! My current main character is only halfway through the Companions and has done about a third of the MQ, and she's already lvl 40-something, with around 100 hours played, I don't know how that happened!

In general, my playthroughs have lasted appr. 150-200 hours each.

And finally, not running around like crazy, but instead stop and actually talk to people, and listen to others talking, adds to both the experience and the gaming time. (For me, pausing the game to take screenshots also adds extra time. But that's a different story...)

Mods.

This - which for me includes sleep at nicht, change clothes when appropriate, stop to have a bath every now and then, and eat regularly (cooked food, of course!). These days, I "cheat" a little with FT due to less time to play, but I try to at least only FT between settlements (pretend that there IS a carriage that would drive me from Dawnstar and so on).


...And this. None of my characters do everything. In general, they do 1-3 questlines and a whole bunch of sidequests that suits them, and it always takes a lot longer than I expect! My current main character is only halfway through the Companions and has done about a third of the MQ, and she's already lvl 40-something, with around 100 hours played, I don't know how that happened!

In general, my playthroughs have lasted appr. 150-200 hours each.

And finally, not running around like crazy, but instead stop and actually talk to people, and listen to others talking, adds to both the experience and the gaming time. (For me, pausing the game to take screenshots also adds extra time. But that's a different story...)

I see your avatar and I can immediately recognize a Brujah when I see one (I'm partial to Tremere myself).

well i usually go back to it when i feel like it but mostly i usually take my in game wife out hunting and bringing back food for the children at Lakeside view manor......although my trusted housekeeper most of the time get's rocketed to space by a Giant and my house carl was seen having an affair with the bard so i got the big axe and decapitate them

Its hard to explain. "Done" is a concept you have to do away with if you want to keep playing these games. Theres no end. Its like simcity. That having been said, mods are always a good way to go. There are thousands of hours of content just waiting out there... if youre on a PC. If you're on a console well... Your options are a bit limited.

Still, I tend to take a different path usually, and make new characters all the time when my old ones get around level 50. try to do things a new way.

And if nothing else, you can always go tracking down and killing the various jerk NPCs. Im sure you can think of a few who could use an arrow or two to the knee. If not, here's a good starting point: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Nazeem

Pft, milkdrinker

I'll be geting them soon, but I have over 3000 hrs vanilla.

I make my own quests. One of my favorite home made quests is to play an entrepreneur who travels from town to town, buying low in one place and selling high in another. I give the character a goal to earn X amount of gold. When that happens the character can retire.

Another character was a miner. She traveled Skyrim doing nothing but mining, making a living as an ore supplier to Smiths. Different characters scavenge different items: Dwemer, Falmer, jewelry, gems, ect. They function like wholesalers. One character specialized in Dwemer items; she had an exclusive contract with Lisbet in Markarth (who had recently and unexpectedly developed a fascination with anything Dwemer).

Another character worked as a hired guard to Ri'saad's caravan. She accompanied the caravan wherever they went. It was her job to fight off any danger and keep the traders safe at all times. When they stopped in a town my character would get drunk and carouse and set off the next day with a headache and vague memories of debauchery.

These are just a few of the things I have done in Skyrim. We can find ways to keep our Elder Scrolls characters occupied forever, if we have the imagination.

Depending on your level of literacy and reading speed, you could probably add a lot of time just stopping and reading all the books.

Creating different characters.

Of course you'll be done in 140hrs if you've only played one so far.

How so?

Moar characters means moar hours.

Creating new characters is where the longevity is at for me.

I also strongly disagree with "no fast travel" helping longevity, I think it's the opposite. Fast travel everywhere in regards to quests and story, and then when you feel a bit bored go on explorations and you find new stuff. If you never fast travel then you'll quickly uncover all the secrets of the wilderness, but if you always fast travel then you can always go and find new stuff when the urge strikes.

After almost 2000 hours with the game, I can easily get bored if I use the same skills all the time. It's the main reason most of my characters end up spellswords/battlemages.

I have just about a 1000 hours and I am by no means a hardcoe role-player. I spend much of the time taking in the scenery and atmosphere. Like just the other day I spent a good chunk of time staring at High Hrothgar carvings and the man adorning the monastery's doors.