I'm usually play as a stealth character, that's my personal preference. If you are anything like me you know the satisfaction that comes with a properly picked lock, but what if your big ugly Orc hands are too calloused by swinging your battle axe around to fumble with a tiny lockpick? You're left with a container full of loot that you can't get into. But what if you could? As far as I know most chests are made of wood... well, wood splinters and breaks right? I never understood why more games haven't gone the way of neverwinter nights (or D&D rules in general) and just let you try to bash the damn thing open if you're strong enough. I know in oblivion there was a mod that allowed you to do just that, but I think it should have come pre-packaged that way. If the devs really want to make it hard to get into a chest or other similarly locked container why not just magically lock it? or make it out of a hard metal? I think it would add another level of fun to the game. And why not take that even a step further? Why not create magically selaed chest that would only open if the correct spell was places on them. I don't know, maybe I'm ranting but I think it would be a lot more fun if there were more ways to get into a chest. What does everyone else think?

yeah, i think it would be good idea to be able to bash some containers and maybe even some doors

that way you dont force fighters to use stealth skills

Some good ideas. I tend to play characters that have the ability to pick locks anyway, but I do occasionally play a warrior type that simply can't and it always did frustrate me that I couldn't smash open a wooden chest when in the realms of believability that a strong enough char could bash the lock open. As you suggested, magically protected chests or metal chests would be an easy way to ensure lock pickers still got their benefit and the chests that magically open for certain spells would likewise give a mage an interesting way of opening certain chests that maybe have loot specific to their class.

I agree, even though the whole class system is kind of gone now. It should have some negative outcomes though. For example If there was a wood box with a potion and you smashed it with a hammer there should be a chance the potion breaks. And breaking into a house like that would definitely not be quiet.

Daggerfall and Arena both had a lock-bashing system like this and I'd like to see it brought back. I'm not even sure why they got rid of it in the first place.

oh yes, i definitely think there should be potential consequences, such as weapon breakage, loot damage etc.

Yes it's a strange event games dumbed down a fair bit, and lock bashing went with them.
It's as if the easiest metheod to actually get into something was too complex for a more streamlined game.
There's a term, I think Oxymoron is it.

Adding to daggerfell and Arena, we have Arcanum where you possibly injured your weapon when breaking stuff.
Planescape: Torment, Pool of Radience, I can't remember if Baldurs gate and Icewind dale did as well so leave those as possibles.

Honestly every beth forum I've been on has wanted this function for that game.

and every Beth game since MW had it modded in. the devs have yet to catch on i suppose

Bashing DID damage your weapon in Arena and Daggerfall, actually. It just wasn't all that noticeable since it wasn't much more than a normal hit. In the case of Arena, if you were playing a Knight (as I did), it wasn't noticeable at all since durability was no object to them thanks to them automatically repairing their equipment.

Did I say it did not, I have not played those games.
I only know that Arcanum had it in, that is why I posted that.
I made no comment that Areana / daggerfall did not have it.
Maybe we got our wires crossed, but again ..
as well as in these games which I've not played.

which I have played, and uses this metheod in it, for the infomation of those that have not played it.

However thanks for the infomation, maybe I should try to play them.
Or at least download the ones available from the TeS site.

Borderlands and Dead Space 2 (I've played the demo, but I've seen enough to know) had a basic concept of that. In Borderlands, you can go up to a pile of stuff on the ground and either shoot it, melee it, or smash it (activate it), and stuff would come out.
Dead Space 2 (again, I've only played the demo) had it so you can either shoot a corpse or curb-stomp it and stuff would come out.

Have it the same way, but add a strength requirement to it. Maybe make more use of the "force lock" option, where you can press "force lock" and your strength will determine if you open it or not. If you do force lock (or just attack it), it will open but alert nearby hostiles (maybe sneak skill will determine how "loud" it is, or how far away a person has to be to detect it).

I definitely hope beth has added this feature this time around, it always bugged me when my path was blocked by a already half-broken and rotted wooden door that should have taken no more than a nudge from my warhammer to bring down, but alas impenetrable

Seems logical to use it as warrior type class and it comes with a reasonable drawback - you screw the element of surprise and "getting in there silent" scenario at the cost of breaking the lock and getting in there faster

Yes Morrowind was very dumbed down.
However I like the idea of damage to your weapon, add a disadvantage in addition to the noise and easier to code than damaging items in chest.
Solution to weapon damage is just to pick up a weapon from a dead bandit and bash with it.

Agreed, you shoud be able to break open certain containers and doors. Wooden containers and smaller wooden doors, you should be able to simply break open. It should come with a certain penalty,smashing doors or containers should make a loud sound making stealth very hard. Bashing in containers should perhapes damage or break a few items.

Of course, bashing open a chest should damage some of the items inside. You should be able to open them, but should be penalized for not being a dexterous thief.

Personally I use this mods for better roleplaying an thief thats will be awesome if developers will take some inspirations from this mods,
vanila oblivion features some awesome ideas like light detection, weight of equipment, even thats minigame if was not so easy and starting only if character and have enough skill, is nice.
With some rebalances AI tweaks and mods thats add awesome quests for thieves game become rich like Thief game series in game mechanic.

I'd love to be able to bash open a chest rather than having to level up my Security skill, which doesn't fit in with my warrior roleplay.

I'd definitely like to see a door/chest bashing system in place. Maybe at a small risk of damaging container contents, and if done in a populated area potentially alerting guards/homeowners/passersby due to noise.

Great idea I think it should be possible to open an wood-chest with a huge battleaxe. Maybe they could have two types of containers, one type that is destrucable with a war-hammer or a battle-axe. The secound type shouldnt open with only the use of force.