I prefer a nice slow trot on Shadowmere when I feel like sightseeing.

He also fast traveled back to Rivendell on the back of a giant eagle. Lazy hobbit.

morrowind had the perfect system. it even let you use an instant no cost mark/recall spell that was essentially map fast travel but it was only limited to one location so it didnt go everywhere. one of the mods im most looking forward to is a mod that expands the carraige system and possibly the boats as well since we have rivers everywhere and rowboat models ingame.

i run or sneak everywhere (its actually a pretty good way to increase you sneak a couple levels everytime you travel). i do use the carriages alot but i only use the map travel on the rare occasion that i did something stupid like forget a claw to open a door and im way on the other side of the map. thats pretty rare though and if im near a carriage ill use that instead.

Glad to see some other converts! You just need to find the right balance for you-- currently I'm only fast-traveling between cities and villages, but I'm considering cutting out the villages.

This game really is beautiful, and there is plenty to see. Unfortunately it was also built with fast-traveling in mind; IE all the yoyo work during quests. On the other hand, some quests I really think it's appropriate-- that hermit dwemer scholar's quest, for example. He is SUPPOSED to be way out in the middle of nowhere-- if I fast-traveled to his location each time after I discovered him, he wouldn't feel like he was far away at all! :shrug:


EDIT: Also, couldn't agree more about Morrowind's system-- it was a great balance, and was never (right?) free!

I tend to rely on fast-travel quite a bit. I'm running Skyrim on a friend's laptop since my old clunker can't keep up with it, so I don't get to play the game all that often. I'd rather spend the time I do get engaged in questlines and dungeoneering than trotting along for thirty minutes getting attacked by suicidal wolves. I'd slow down and stop to smell the roses if I could, but I sadly don't have that luxury.

That would be a monumentally stupid thing to do. Forcing players to walk the map isn't going to convert each and every one of them into a non-fast-travel enthusiast. It's going to piss a lot of them off.

I'm reminded of something that I read in regards to Fallout New Vegas. A player-- someone who was particularly interested in Fallout lore, suggested to one of the developers that players should not be able to just exit or blow through NPC dialogue, explaining that: "It makes the game more interesting if the player has to listen to it." The developer, quite correctly, replied: "No, it doesn't. It makes it mandatory."

That, in essence, is the same thing as what you're suggesting here. Forcing something on a player isn't necessarily going to "improve their gaming experience." It depends on the player. I don't use fast-travel anymore either because, like others, I find the gaming experience to be richer when you're not teleporting all over the map. However, I don't expect other players to feel similarly, and the current set-up is perfect because it doesn't alienate anyone. If you like fast-travel, it's there. If you don't like to fast-travel, then don't.

It's also helpful to keep in mind that not everyone has several hours a day to play Skyrim. Those with busier schedules and less free time for gaming may be off-put by the prospect of having to take an hour just to complete a simple courier quest.

I actually stopped playing on my first character because I felt guilty for fast travelling and rushing through the main quest. On my 3rd now (second character's save got corrupted) and I haven't fast traveled AT ALL. Even if I have to walk from Falkreath all the way to Solitude or Windhelm, I'll walk or ride there.

Ditto. I enjoy the exploration, and if I have the time, I like to look at the map, find a place I've not scoured, and just watch for black icons on the compass, but if I'm trying to knock out a quest, I don't see the need to rewalk a route I've tread a dozen times.

You guys made the conversion to bidpedal motion too late to take advantage of the higher speed and acrobatics offered in Oblivion, disapointedly gone from Skyrim.

Fast travel to the Crack of Doom?
>Yes< No

*credits*