The Elder Scrolls was "dumbed down" with Morrowind, not Skyrim. Arguably, more content was stripped away (i.e. "dumbed down") between Daggerfall and Morrowind than between Morrowind and Oblivion, or between Oblivion and Skyrim. If you want to point an accusing finger at a "dumbed down" Elder Scrolls game, point it at Morrowind.

Sorry but from Morrowind to Oblivion to Skyrim opposed to Daggerfall to Morrowind are two different fish. new tech, new system, new mechanics you cannot compare the loss of thousands of miles of random tiles and utter alteration in the way the game mechanics work, next to the reduction of weapon choice, hand holding game mechanics, loss of spell making, armor slots, racial differential and general choice all together.

I've seen several folks throw that around for a time now, is this some attempt at the pot calling the kettle back? because when you really -think- about it, its a really poor attempt.

TLDR?

At least Morrowind had an excuse.

You can say the same thing in regards to Oblivion and Skyrim's new AI and physics systems. There was a ton of dumbing down from Daggerfall to Morrowind. Morrowind was a dumbed down game in the TES series.

Of course there are people who dont like the game or dislike some parts of it, but the majority of people that have played the game have loved it. Theres a reason it won game of the year. Its one of the highest rated games of all times, and most of us on these forums are here to talk about the game we love. You are a bit mis-informed if you believe the consensus for most people is they "dont like it"

The nostalgia will eventually ware off and you'll see (with few exceptions) the past games for what they are. I took one last look at MW and knew that if I put that disc in the tray... any good memories I had about that game would whither and die.

I like the direction Bethesda took Skyrim.

A couple of examples: the attention paid to crafting (Alchemy and Enchantment) was more intuitive than MW or OB and 'making things' with Smithing was more satisfying IMHO.

If you want an example of a beloved RPG franchise 'dumbing down', and I know that you were citing someone else's viewpoint OP, then look no further than 'Gears of Mass Effect'.

I wouldn't have bought Skyrim if it didn't have mod support. That's how dumbed down the game is.

Things I hate the most:

- Compass that shows where enemies are. It's like the game is designed for partially blind and deaf people who are unable to spot, track, and identify enemies themselves.

- Sneak Icon. Again game is designed for people who are unable to notice themselves when enemies start looking for them and spot them.

- Map screen: clouds block the view, roads aren't visible, and icons aren't color coded. The game is designed for people who can't read a map and navigate. You're just meant to follow a GPS Quest Arrow with zero brain use.

And that was just the tip of the iceberg.

Oh, I just started playing Morrowind again (with Morrowind Overhaul mod though to make the game look great). Good game.