My suggestion for marksman accuracy: When you nock an arrow and pull back, it takes a while to get a steady aim, and after a while the aim starts getting wobbly again due to the arms getting fatigued (like it was waayy back in Thief, remember?). Maybe this could be indicated via a targetting reticule that gets narrower as your aim settles, and then widens again after a while. What I'd like to see to relate this to your skills is that the time it takes to steady the aim would get shorter with higher marksman skill (the reticule focuses faster), and the time before your arms get tired will lengthen as well, making faster accurate shots possible, and maximizing your time to pick out a target with the string pulled.

Also, of course the arrow speed needs to depend on how far the string is pulled back.

If you've never played Mount and Blade I suggest trying it now. I'm not sure the policy on linking to websites that could be seen as some as competitors so I won't post a link but you can find it easily enough with google. You can download the full game for free, and play to level 6 as a demo. You might be happy you did, it's a deeply flawed and incomplete game but still a wonderful experience.

Player skill absolutely matters in that game, you won't get anywhere in the harder difficulties if you don't have skill (especially since going up in levels doesn't give you extra hit points), but your character skill is also extremely important especially with archer (and horse archery in particular).

The game also rewarded you with more experience in that weapon. It might take a dozen close range shots to some infantrymen's torso to get a point in archery, but if you get a headshot on an enemy cavalryman from 150 yards away while you're at full gallup on your horse you might get 4-5 weapon points for that one shot.

There was a lot of negative feedback from Morrowind re: skill effecting aim. Mostly melee-centric, but still, that led to Oblivion's more action-based system. I feel that adding "wobble" to archery/magic would just bring up that same sort of frustration all over again.

Is it realistic? Well, the archery one, sure. But it doesn't sound all the fun to me.

I liked spread in FO, but with TES you already have to consider the arrows arc, which is enough for me.

Well spells go straight because they come out of your fingertips and you pretty much just point at someone

The idea of projectile spread is discussed at length here:
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1154136-marksman-skill-a-more-realistic-take-on-accuracy/ (Locked due to post count, thread # 2 is here: http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1159373-marksman-skill-a-more-realistic-take-on-accuracy/ )

It includes a specific solution as to how the marksman skill can affect accuracy, more deviation from the aiming point at low skill levels, less at higher levels. This is achieved through introducing "dispersion circles". Arrows will strike completely random within these circles, and the circles will decrease in size as the skill goes up. There will be 2 circles, 1 "snap shot"-circle which is larger and applies immideately after the bow is drawn, and a smaller "aimed" circle. The "snap shot" circle automatically reduces itself to the aimed circle 0,5-2 seconds(depending on skill, an experts circle will be reduced quicker) after the bow is drawn, simulating better aim. Read the OP in the linked thread for pictures on how this is supposed to work.

I understand the drive for realism, but I'm not convinced this would necessarily be fun. It's already been mentioned that bows have been slowed down for Skyrim, and I worry that adding additional penalties in this manner may completely marginalise the role of marksmanship in-game. If an archer is forced to choose between speed and accuracy, bows might not be used for much beyond sniping as the time between shots could allow the enemy to close the distance before a second shot could be fired.

Where was this mentioned? AFAIK the only thing that has been said is that damage has been increased.

Can't remember where I read it, but the general idea was that while damage was increased, speed had been dropped back to compensate.

Well, that would be nice. That is a central piece of marksmanship. And with Skyrims new engine, it is quite possible (probable) that practical range will be increased, further enhancing the value of marksman. A significant increase in damage dealt would also balance things.

Besides, at short ranges, you don't need pinpoint accuracy. So the choice will be a nobrainer.

How does that compare to other weapon groups, though? Marksmanship already has a number of strengths and weaknesses versus a melee or magic based offence, so my primary concern is just that adding another set of trade-offs and limitations may result in bows being under-utilised. I just don't see the point in changing a mechanic in such a way that no one wants to use it.

Thats the thing about magic...do we really know if it just goes strait after we shoot? Does gravity effect it? Would lightning based magic still work in the rain? Could magic twist and turn after we shoot it? Are you sure it will always fly forward without fail?

Since I can't use magic, I can't rule out the possibility of magic going off target after fired.

Well, if the poll on the original marksman-thread is anything to go by, most people DO want the skill to affect accuracy.(and by quite a large margin too, 85% say it should be affected, 64% wants the dispersion circles: http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1154136-marksman-skill-a-more-realistic-take-on-accuracy/ )
And my view is that introducing the accuracy-element will not only be more realistic, it will make the skill much more rewarding to use, increasing its popularity.

My feeling is the result would be less effective rather than more rewarding, but eh. Agree to disagree?

The actual quote in Game Informer is "In general, bows take longer to draw back than before, but they are much more powerful"

Ah, wicked. Thanks, showler!

Yeah, I definitely disagree with that.