Skyrim is a huge game, I have played about 200 hours and I have not nearly done even half of everything.

Still I often see people write they are playing with their 5:th or 6:th character. I must ask how you are playing and if the replay value really is that good?

I mean I could understand it more if you choose a class in the beginning of the game that you have to stick to. But Skyrim does not work that way and there is no way you wont hit the level cap of that "class" you choose to play as very fast. I started playing as a barbarian type character, using sword and shield only. After about 100 hours I got tired of that though and changed my playstyle to using a mix of magic and archery instead. There is nothing in Skyrim that punish you for just chaning your characters style midway instead of starting over from scratch with a new character.

I am just curious, I have noticed that many people here like the roleplaying aspect also, how do you roleplay? I mean I know what roleplaying is, I played tons of paper and paper dungeons and dragons when growing up, but I have never really roleplayed in a videogame. It seems futile in a way, with pen and paper there is no limitations. But in a video game like Skyrim you honestly dont have that many choices when it comes to interacting with other people. You can choose a small number of set replies to any conversation and maybe choose the side of something sometimes.

You don't got to role play hardcoe. Just if you make a mage, stick to being a mage. Don't be a mage/thief/warrior all at once, that kind of svcks.

Not to mention for the PC we have mods which grant us pretty much unlimited replay value.

I also roleplay and is the best way.
I try to act always as my character would, following his ideals and likings.
Hungry, cold and sleep mods help for the matter, and never vast travel.

Specialized characters. Instead of doing all the guilds/factions on one character, make a character just for the thieves guild (perhaps also Dark Brotherhood on that char), make one for the Companions and general warrior stuff, a mage for the College and collecting of Daedric artifacts maybe, etc, etc. That can without any RP to it as well, simply specialized chars that excell at particular things and aren't jack of all trades.

Add in role playing and you could end up with dozens of characters. As for how RPing is done in Skyrim where its limited? Imagination, immersing yourself and specialized characters. All the rules and such myself and others come up with aren't by any means necessary. You play in a way that makes it fun for you, doesn't matter what others do.

I like immersion stuff to. I play without HUD, I dont fast travel, and recently I stopped using any potions besides when in towns.
But I dont get the fun in "act as my character would". What does it add? I mean I play myself, I side with the ones I like and so on. Why would it be more fun to play a role?

I feel like I should be paid for advertising since I've said this a few times in the past few days, but look up Gophersvids on YouTube. He is a great example of roleplaying that's fun.

He plays on pc and uses mods, but the basic principle is the same as with any vanilla skyrim.

I do different content with different characters.
Some become the Archmage, others join the Thieves Guild. Depending on the character sometimes I dont finish guild questlines, but leave it at where my character would draw the line.
Some never even see a dragon apart from that one time in Helgen.
I tend to start a new character every few months.