still quite new to skyrim, but just a quick question - once you have killed Alduin, is that the end of the main story line? then it's the untold amount of smaller missions/quests? any guidance would be great. cheers

Aye that's the ending, I always thought that boss-battle was an anti-climix to what Bethesda made out. Oh and you should probably put a spoiler tag on the ending

Yes that's the end of the main questline however there is still plenty to do. Lots of other questlines and smaller quests should keep you occupied. I usually find that if I do the main quest line it usually only represents about 15% of my play through, Skyrim is massive and there are always adventures to get involved in, and welcome to the forums by the way.

I wouldn't call all the rest "smaller" missions. The guilds and Civil War are major questlines, usually shorter than the MQ (especially the Companions), but still important and interesting. Then there are the DLC.

After defeating Alduin there is an optional alternative ending. You can't say no but you can ingnore it.

There is so much to do in Skyrim. If it was just the MQ and nothing else then I would have sold the game within the first week of buying it.
You have the guilds, the war, Lots of side quests and hundreds of misc quests.

This. So much this.

The MQ was the very last thing I did in the vanilla game. It's the world Skyrim gives you, and the freedom to do whatever you want that keeps me hooked.

Exactly. I'm currently level 27 and JUST started the MQ. You get so wrapped up in so many other things you dont know what to do with yourself.

Thanks for all the reply's & help. I've already started on some of the many misc. quests & missions. What a game, it continues to blow my mind.....