In Howard's most recent IGN interview, he said that there is gong to be more armor available to be worn in Skyrim, also saying they were bringing some older armors back. This is great news to me because in Oblivion, I pretty much only used the Blades heavy armor and the Ebony armor.

Then, when looking at the new screenshots that came out with the http://pcmedia.ign.com/pc/image/article/115/1158651/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-20110330052304153.jpg and http://pcmedia.ign.com/pc/image/article/115/1158651/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-20110330052314715.jpg, it looked as though the goblin/dunmer and the barbarian where wearing the same "x" leather straps on the torso, difference being one has a shirt and the other doesn't.

To me, this seems like the armor pieces and clothing will be equipped separately, allowing for increased variation.

thoughts?

Yep, this is good evidence that you can wear multiple layers. Also notice that the shirtless Nord has a different left-pauldron than the Dunmer. This gives evidence that pauldrons will be separate.

Thats really cool, but I wouldn't read too much into it until anything has been confirmed, in my opinion though I hope you can equip separate layers instead of equipping them like a 'suit' like you would in fallout 3.

Good point!

it looks as thought the x shaped strap thing comes with weapons carried on the back, if you look at the poor dunmers hand it looks as if he is wielding a pretty sizeable sword. It also looks as if the leather pauldron the nord is wearing is which also appears under the metal pauldron of the dunmer comes with the X straps. This actually does suggest that pauldron slots are seperate from chest pieces

If you question how bound armor works without spellmaking, you get chills.

How would bound armor work any other way then *poof* suit of armor... Armor could be a single suit and smithing allows you +/- certain pieces of the suit. <--- worst case senario.

I like the Morrowind-like armour slots, best way to customize your look. And let's not forget about the background image of this very website, the dude is wearing the what seems to look like the goblin/dunmer's pauldron

Edit: Also, note the bracers on the both barbarian and goblin/dunmer. It is possible that the x strap has a leather shoulder attached too it and bracers are all part of that armour set, what the goblin/dunmer has is probably an under-shirt and a metal pauldron

If this is correct, that would be perfect.

I don't think the X only comes with heavy weapons. If i'm not mistaken, the guy in the trailer had an X strap equipped too and had a sword/ shield. I think they may use the strap as a general tool to equip a pauldron without just sticking it on there. Then if you also equipped a chestpiece, it would cover up the strap

I never said heavy weapons only, but stuff equipped on the back, such as a shield

I'm not so sure about that. You can see the Dunmer's sword sheath in the screenshot. I don't think a simple sheath requires an entire apparel piece over the chest, including a pauldron.

Well, I'm pretty sure that leather piece beneath the bag is the sheath. If it's not, the character in the trailer also wears the same exact armor, yet has a sheath. It shouldn't require those straps.

Actually the pauldron in the screenshot with the goblin/dunmer appears to be on the left shoulder ABOVE the strap, but if you look at the screenshot with the nord, there is something that looks like a pauldron on his left shoulder, however, whatever it is, it doesn't appear to be above the strap. This would mean that it's a different pauldron, or something else completely; which means that the slot for a chest piece and the slots for pauldrons are separate.

This is true, which begs the question, what is the X straps for? surely the straps alone can't be a chest piece... perhaps they appear whenever you equip a pauldron?

@Mwals

But if you look below the metal pauldron on the dunmer there is also a leather pauldron that goes under the strap

Who knows. I doubt it comes with a pauldron though.


What he's saying is that the pauldrons are different for both of these characters.

True. But this would still mean that the slots for pauldrons are separate.

We talked about this in an earlier thread (as far as armor layering anyway {http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1166731-extensive-armor-layering-options/page__st__20__p__17181911__hl__baldric__fromsearch__1#entry17181911}) but the hope is that the "x straps" (I've termed them double baldrics or just baldrics, but not sure that's the right term either) show a layering system unseen in the series until now. In the GI pics, you have the PC wearing just the baldrics, and in other pics it's on top of different armor systems (from scale mail to leather jerkins). Certianly can't confirm anything yet, but it's exciting to think it might be in there!

@Mr. TIssue & Mwals
This is true, and I actually pointed the same fact out ^^ ,This makes me have hope... I really really really want more armor slots, it's like my top priority along with a morrowind-type taxi system (which recently was confirmed !!!)

@Orimuldo if so, and done correctly, this may be one of the best additions to TES ever

I would say those two pictures are evidence that you may NOT wear multiple layers, unless I missed something.
The armored, shirtless nord is... shirtless.
As for the other picture with the dunmer looking character... I can't really tell if that is just one piece of armor on his chest or if he is clothed as well

Would love to see a comeback with layers. Missed that in Oblivion. Hopefully they can work it in well without clipping issues.

Why was this great feature ever taken out of Oblivion, I wonder.

Armor has already been confirmed to not be like F3.

If I had to hazard a guess, probably to reduce the processing and memory requirements.

Gotta wait to believe for some more gameplay or official confirmation,but the way i see it,it can be like the armor system they used in Fallout 3,several similar "1 piece suits" of the same armor with some minor aesthetically diferences on them,this is what i fear all this is.