I've had my copy of Skyrim since it released towards the end of 2011 yet I've never managed to put in more than maybe 12 or 15 hours at best. Half of it is me deleting my save and starting over from scratch to see if everything would make more sense.

I can't figure out why this game isn't appealing to me since I was able to put in over 400 hours on Fallout: New Vegas and then even a solid 50 on Fallout 3 over the last few years, both Bethesda titles that are also RPGs. I adored them, I can talk about them for hours and it not get old. I though Skyrim would be a no brainer for me, but it doesnt' seem so.

I think the problem is I don't understand the point. What's my protagonists goal other than to defeat Alduin, a Dragon who is prophesied to destroy the world (I pulled this from wikipedia, not sure how relevant this is to my question)??

Can someone who loves this game as much as I do New Vegas take a few moments and explain the basic premise of the story to me? You don't have to kill yourself with detail, but there's gotta be more to my protagonists decisions and motives than killing Alduin, the prophesied Dragon.

I want to love this game. I want to enjoy it as much as everyone else, because honestly there's not very many games I actually play and enjoy. Most games dont' appeal to me for some reason, I just dont' like video games. But I want to like this one. That and I have 10 vacation days I'm being forced to use or lose, they dont' roll over and I've got nothing but time for the next two weeks.

Why save the world of course!

Other than that. It's your charater. Make your own goals

The Main Questline isn't what makes this game shine. In fact, it's probably the most boring thing to do in Skyrim. I'd suggest exploring the world, or doing one of the Guilds to start you off.

If You have the Dawngaurd DLC, then You have Vera Keyes and Christine rolled into Serana

Your character is the Hero/Heroine and destined to bring a Peaceful existence to Skyrim by bringing the Dragons (Supermutants) under control by backing Marcus.

You even have a Lonesome Road in the Dragonborn DLC

The Empire is NCR, Stormcloaks are House, and the Legion is remaining Neutral.

Unfortunately none of those things are as in depth and well written as New Vegas to actually be an appropriate counterpart.

Anyway, there honestly isn't more to what you do in Skyrim. The story is simple and rather weak (as is all of Bethesda's work in that particular area) with the simple task of killing that damn dragon before he eats the world. And that's the thing about a TES game. The main aspect of it is that you have the freedom to do whatever you want and be whoever you want to be. The main questline is about as important as any other guild questline so it isn't a main focus.

With so much freedom, you will have to make your own goals. You want to climb that mountain? Climb it. You want to join the Companions. Join them. You want to attempt stealing from an NPC while getting caught in the process which leads to you having to murder them only for the guards to witness you doing it so they put you in jail for the rest of your days until you finally break free and make your way out of their only to be pounced on and torn apart by a saber cat only moments later, do it.

Skyrim is not restricted by a good story and writing! You simply imagine it with the freedom to do so! Freedom and...and stuff! Yeah!

To explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before!

... Or something like that.

Think of it as Minecraft, do whatever you want

Thanks everyone.