This has likely been started already, but since there is no search function...

We really need specific instructions on how to lockpick...a chest will be marked as easy and yet be impossible to pick...do the tumblers have to be picked in a certain order? Does that order change with each broken pick? Or is it completely random? I can't discern a pattern...and after dozens of tries have not successfully opened a single chest.

We really need a new (non-idiotic) method of lockpicking...something like in Fallout would be nice...you know, where the minigame actually makes sense intuitively AND instructions actually explain what is supposed to happen...

The lock picking system is pretty much the same system from oblivion. No they do not to need be done in any certain order.

What it appears to be is that only some of the tumblers need to be pressed. If the tumbler clicks a few times stop trying on that tumbler and move on to the next. when you have tried all of them click R to open the chest. My very limited experience suggests that novice chests require 1 tumbler pressed and intermediate require 2. The order they are pressed in does not matter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HifIMl0veA

I finally figured it out after giving it some serious thought. You know when it just starts to wiggle like it can go down anymore? THAT is when you need to let go of the mouse. When it just starts to give some resistance. It will lock into place then. As far as an order... I haven't really found one. It doesn't seem to matter. Hope this helps.

I pretty much learned how to pick locks by watching people do it on random videos. When it starts to wiggle you let go, don't get pressing.

There doesn't seem to be any lockpick skill so to open a master chest is it only PLAYER skill that comes into play? Would be nice if there was something in game that would make it easier for you to pick the more difficult locks just like in the SP games.

Guessing they also have a higher chance to break the pick.

The upcoming thieve's guild skill line might contain something of that sort.

Also using right clight instead of letting go might improve your timing. I only hate the hard locks which require all the pins to be pushed almost completely down, does are kinda iffy to complete because of the time needed to get them down

I don't like locked chests in general... i don't think anyone would complain if they got rid of lockpicking alltogether. But then again, I'd probably wrong, because it seems people will complain about anything.

At the moment it is only player skill, might come more content on this with the justice system and release of thieves guild.

As for lockpicking the video above shows all you need to know. Push the tumbler down till it shake then release then move to next one, can begin in any order.