I've been toying with the idea for a while.
What do you guys think about turning the crosshair off? Obviously if you play in first person.
Naturally, this'll make aiming ranged spells/bow shots rather difficult, but we don't have a crosshair in real life. Maybe it would create the illusion of inexperience when you first start playing as you'll miss with everything, but as you become more familiar, you'll zero-in your shots.

Thoughts?

Sounds cool, I don't like not having the crosshair in 3rd person, but I have never thought about a crosshair-free 1st person. How do you turn off the crosshair, do you have to be on PC or can you do it on a console (im on xbox).

I'm pretty sure it's in the options, even on xbox. I know I've seen it, and I only play on xbox.

I'll give it a go tonight and report back.

Meh, it makes it hella hard to aim

That's my point. Making aiming a case of player skill, which develops along with your character, rather than merely lining up the crosshair. I mean, my Healer shouldn't be able to hit a deer from 100feet with a bow the first time she uses one. But she most certainly can using crosshairs. Without, I think there'd be a far more realistic accuracy rating.

i have never thought about this before, might think about it.

Was not even aware that was a setting... would you still be told whether people saw you while sneaking or do you just have to hear the chase music and run haha

It's definitely an epic feeling hitting an enemy in third person with no crosshair. But brutally tough.

i turned the crosshair off long ago,
although i tend to play sneakers, so if i'm taking a shot with a bow i'll have the eye thing to aim with,

So I tried it in the tutorial dungeon just to test. It's actually quite good, when you're not sneaking it's damn hard to hit anything. But, as you get closer your accuracy improves, obviously.

Methinks I'm going to carry on like this.

I run DarN Dark User Interface and have a much smaller crosshair that is visible in both first and third person. I leave it on all the time. I also have the graphics settings to show actors at maximum distance, so shots over 300 feet at distant pink glows are not uncommon. If I want more challenge, I simply try it from third person and/or aim for a specific spot on the target.

I'm comfortable with my character being good with a bow. She started her training under Daenlin at eight years old, she's a wood elf, and the bow is the only weapon she will touch.

I think the idea of turning the crosshair off to simulate some unfamiliarity with the bow for a character that doesn't use them frequently is a neat idea.

Ah, that's all the difference then. Buffy was already adept with a bow at the start of the game. Helena is rather more inexperienced.

It is such a pleasure to hear of characters that inhabit their world so fully as Helena. She is even more special because you gave me the oportunity to provide some input into the creation of your wonderful young Bretonic healer. :foodndrink:

Indeed. Cyrodiil, and in fact all Tamriel, is such a vibrant world that it seems a shame not to let our characters live a proper life.

I'm eternally thankful for yours and Subrosa's help in bringing Helena into the world. I'm sure she wouldn't have developed in the ways that she has if it weren't for your excellent input and the inspiration Buffy and Teresa's journals provide. If only Helena could tear herself away from her travels long enough to write her own journal >.<

I ask her quite regularly, and she apologises profusely, but as always she poses a question which provides me with the answer. "What would you do if you were in my shoes?" I'm afraid even a Count can't argue with that.

After reading this, I turned it off. I thought it would be difficult because I am using a mage at the moment, but it wasnt too bad

I never have it turned on, it annoys me to have that right on the middle of my sight.
using bows as well, it just takes practice , and you will know where the middle of the screen is in reference to the arrowhead.

I always play in 3rd person so I never see a crosshair anyway. I got used to doing 3rd person ranged attacks back in my Morrowind days. A crosshair would be distracting to me now.

In fact, most of the time I have my HUD turned off. Even with DarN's mod minimizing the HUD elements into the bottom left and right corners they're still too distracting to me.

I think I'd turn off the HUD if I was on PC, but I can't do it on xbox, so I have to make do with those unsightly red, blue and green bars in the corner. I can imagine the terror when you suddenly run out of magicka in a fight.

I've also taken to lowering the brightness so I NEED a torch/light spell or nighteye to see properly in dungeons.

Realism ftw (well, for me anyway).

I've been playing with no crosshair for a few days now and the only thing I don't like is I find it more difficult to pick up items, other than that its going great

I like the HUD. Admittedly I use the nice DarN one.

To me it enhances immersion as a form of sensory perception. I figure my character would always know if she was in good health, tired or low on mystical power.

Similarly, I figure she would instinctively feel which spell she had readied.

And lastly since she lives and dies by the bow, I believe she would keep track of how full her quiver was by feel from the last time she selected an arrow.

To me, the HUD simply simulates her own senses.

I think it is neat that different folks have differing ideas on what makes the game more fun or immersive. :goodjob:

You make a valid point. I suppose the HUD would be like your characters senses. I mean, you'd know about getting hit with a Flare spell.

And yes, it is amazing how different everyones games can be!

I do it all the time. It makes you aim with the arrow on the bow like if it was an iron sight. It also helps immersion in my opinion.